Saturday, August 31, 2019

Man wildlife conflict Essay

MAN WILDLIFE CONFLICT Introduction: Human–wildlife conflict refers to the interaction between wild animals and people and the resultant negative impact on people or their resources, or wild animals or their habitat. It occurs when growing human populations overlap with established wildlife territory, creating reduction of resources or life to some people and/or wild animals. Conflict between people and animals is one of the main threats to the continued survival of many species in different parts of the world, and is also a significant threat to local human populations. If solutions to conflicts are not adequate, local support for conservation also declines. Human-wildlife conflict is a serious obstacle to wildlife conservation worldwide and is becoming more prevalent as human populations increase, development expands, the global climate changes and other human and environmental factors put people and wildlife in greater direct competition for a shrinking resource base. Improving our responses to human-wildlife conflict requires greater consultation not only among wildlife professionals and between their organizations, but also with economic and social development organizations, land use planners, agribusiness, and other key decision makers. Successful responses to conservation conflicts frequently require individual professionals to reach outside their own disciplines for needed tools, skills and perspectives. Interdisciplinary collaboration, as well as collaboration between sectors, is critical to improving the understanding of underlying causes needed to shift the emphasis from reactive mitigation of conflict to proactive prevention strategies. The Human-Wildlife Conflict Collaboration (HWCC) is pioneering efforts to facilitate collaborative learning among diverse partners so that we may improve our collective ability to address the root causes of conservation conflicts. HWCC is unique in that it provides a neutral global forum upon which to convene the individuals, institutions and sectors working on, or affected by, conflict in conservation. Through this forum and our collaborative work, we will help wildlife professionals and key decision makers shift our efforts from a reactive mitigation of human-wildlife conflict to a proactive, prevention of all conservation conflicts. Definition The Creating Co-existence workshop at the 5th Annual World Parks Congress defined human-wildlife conflict as :â€Å"Human-wildlife conflict occurs when the needs and behavior of wildlife impact negatively on the goals of humans or when the goals of humans negatively impact the needs of wildlife.† Nature of human-wildlife conflicts As human population extends to wild animal habitats, natural wildlife territory is displaced. The population density of wildlife and humans overlaps increasing their interaction thus resulting in increased physical conflict. Byproducts of human existence offer un-natural opportunity for wildlife in the form of food and shelter, resulting in increased interference and potentially destructive threat for both man and animals. Various forms of human–wildlife conflict occur with various negative results. Some of these are: Animal deaths Crop damage Damage to property Destruction of habitat Injuries to people Injuries to wildlife Livestock depredation Loss of human life, such as by Tiger attack Information on man-wildlife conflicts in Kerala during the period 1983-93 were collected from the office records of the Divisional Forest Offices and by Visiting areas from where man-wildlife conflicts were reported. Cattle lifting was mainly due to Panther (Panthera pardus) Tiger (Panthera tigris) and Wild Dog (Cuon alpinus). Eighty nine cattle lifting cases were reported during the period. Thirty one human deaths and 64 injury cases were also reported, mostly due to Elephants. Out of the total compensation claimed for cattle lifting only 20% was disbursed and only 14% were disbursed for human casualties. Electric fences using energizers may solve the problem temporarily. Resettling of villagers from inside the forest areas is also advisable. The southern state of Karnataka has got some of the most pristine forests in Western Ghats spanning the districts of North Kanara, Dharwad,  Belgaum, Shimoga, Udupi, Mangalore, Chikmagalur, Hassan, Madikeri, Mysore and Chamrajnagar. The forests in these districts are quite rich in wild life as can be expected, the most notable wildlife in these forests being Elephants, Tigers, Leopards among other animals. In the drier tracts of these and other districts where the topography is mostly plains with scattered rocky outcrops of hills the wildlife consists of Bear, Black bucks and Leopards. The difference is only in the extent of damages and the number of lives lost. The problem of Man – Elephant conflict is more severe in the districts of Hassan and Madikeri where large herds of elephants can be seen roaming and marauding the farms especially in or near the forest areas damaging the valuable agricultural crops. At times there have been loss of human lives which only accentuates the problem taking this conflict to an entirely new level. Naturally people can tolerate the loss of agricultural crops but not the loss of their family members. But then who is responsible for all this? It is we who have intruded into their territory, converting the forests into agricultural farms, growing crops and inviting the elephants to our doorsteps to come and have their stomach fill. Its we who have fragmented their habitat by making roads, dams and canals. We have honeycombed their habitat by our so called developmental activities eating into their homelands and this appetite of ours for their areas is only increasing day by day with the bulging human population. The elephants in these areas seem to have a very peculiar habit. First they have their stomach fill. After that they roam around in search of arrack which is usually being distilled in local bhatties. The arrack or the distil waste gives them a nice kick and these drunken elephants are responsible for the loss of human lives. The tools employed by the forest department like bursting of crackers, gunshots or fire torches are too primitive to stop or scare away the marauding pack of drunken elephants. The Man-Leopard conflict is more visible in the transition zone between dry plain lands and the green hilly areas. In the Chikmagalur district it is more a problem in the dry taluqa of Kadur particularly bordering villages of Kadur and Chikmagalur taluqa where the dry tract ends. Kadur is the place  which earned a bad name for it about 10 years back. It was here where large number of panthers had to be shot and killed by employing and bringing so called sharp shooters from all over the state in search of an illusive so called man-eater panther. The end result of all this hunting spree was that every day and night several panthers were shot and brought to the post mortem table, post mortem was carried out and the killed panther was declared innocent as no human remains could be detected inside till finally some human hair remnants were detected in one and then only this shooting spree came to a halt. It is debatable whether it was really required to kill such a large number of panthers which is an endangered species but perhaps the department had no means to identify the errant panther and hence large number of panthers had to be killed in search of that illusive wayward one. Moreover at times one is driven by the urge to be seen as trying his best. Probably this urge opened the floodgates and gradually people took the law into their own hands thinking that why to wait for the forest department when they can themselves teach panthers a lesson. Same happened some time back. A family of a mother panther and its two grown up cubs was seen in the vicinity of a village. They hunted a calf and ate it partially before they were chased away by the villagers. Once they left, the carcass of the calf was nicely poisoned. When the mother and the cub returned unsuspectingly next day, they consumed the remains and in the process died themselves. Leopards by nature tend to stray into the habitations in search of their kill. Their natural prey is becoming rare in the forests and the omnipresent cattle and dogs in the vicinity of the villages on the periphery of forest brings them in close conflict of the human beings. In some other areas also few panthers have had to lose their lives being caught in the snares. These snares are fixed in the barbed wire fence of coffee estates, not necessarily by the estate owners but at times by their labour in order to catch wild boars or smaller animals. However it is the panthers and Sambars who have had to pay the price with their lives for their adventure in to the estates. The Man- Tiger conflicts are by and large restricted to the high forests and the coffee estates in the vicinity of forests in Chikmagalur district. These conflicts also arise due to depredation by tigers on the cattle or getting entangled in the snares fixed in the fencings of the estates. Few tigers  have been killed due to such snares. In Chikmagalur, Hassan, Kodagu and other Western Ghat districts Coffee plantations are an integral part of the topography. The conditions available in the coffee estates make them very close to look like forest. Presence of cattle in such areas makes them ideal hunting grounds for the tigers and leopards bringing them in direct conflict with the villagers. Moreover there are large number of authorized and unauthorized muzzle loading guns available making it very difficult for the wild life to survive. Primary reason for all these conflicts is fragmentation of the wild habitat. Whereas few patches have been brought under the Conservation network by declaring them as National Parks or Sanctuaries, about 85-90% of the forest areas are still outside this network. While there can be no doubt that establishing this network has contributed significantly to wildlife conservation. But real problem is that even these networks are also fragmented. Whereas total concentration in these parks and sanctuaries is on wildlife protection making the conditions ideal for wildlife, but what about the wildlife staying in forest areas outside these networks. Wildlife knows no boundaries. Creation of ideal conditions in sanctuaries has helped wildlife to multiply rapidly but where is the additional habitat required to take care of the additional population of animals, which tries to flow over to the adjoining areas only to get killed. This is particularly so with regard to the wild animals having territorial tendencies. There is need to have a continuous conservation network with sufficient area and resources to take care of the progeny. Right now almost no effort is being made to take up wild life related management works outside the parks and sanctuaries. The lands outside the parks and sanctuaries (even inside also) are constantly under threat of encroachment. Honeycombing of the forestlands has already reached extreme. The tools employed by the government in reducing the Man and Wildlife Conflicts are highly insufficient and hence not producing desired results. If we think that paying a few hundred or thousands Rupees to a person as compensation for crop damages by elephants or for a cattle killed by a  leopard or tiger would save our wildlife from getting poisoned or shot, then it is nothing but our shortsightedness. Even this so-called wildlife compensation is paid to him after making innumerable trips to the concerned office. The farmer has to forego his earnings for each day he has to visit the office, he has to pay from his pocket for the bus charge and has to undergo physical strain †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. And what he gets is just few hundred rupees. Such hardships discourage him and in the process he gets encouraged to take the law into his own hands and to settle scores with his tormentor- the wildlife. There are only losers on both the sides. The Forest officials are also at times not acting in tandem. There is no coordination among the adjoining units. Particularly in case of elephant herds movements between the adjoining units it can be seen. Everybody wants to drive away the herds to another adjoining unit without giving any thought. It only complicates the problems. Need of the hour is to have a stock of the real problem. And then only solutions can be found. We tend to take each problem in a routine manner. There is a tendency to leave the things to lower subordinates. The powers that be have to take everybody into confidence, discuss the issue threadbare and then have to take a conscious decision. A conscious policy decision need not be essentially sweet and liked by all but it may herald a new era where people and wildlife both can coexist beneficially. How would you react to an elephant in your backyard or a bear in your garden? As human populations expand and natural habitats shrink, people and animals are increasingly coming into conflict over living space and food. From baboons in Namibia attacking young cattle, to greater one-horned rhinos in Nepal destroying crops, to orangutans in oil palm plantations, to European bears and wolves killing livestock – the problem is universal, affects rich and poor, and is bad news for all concerned. The impacts are often huge. People lose their crops, livestock, property, and sometimes their lives. The animals, many of which are already threatened or endangered, are often killed in retaliation or to ‘prevent’ future conflicts. What are the reason for conflict between man and animals? The main reason is that man, unlike other animals change the environment around him instead of adjusting himself according to the environment. By doing this he disturbes other animals, with knowing and without knowing .Thus he creates a conflict. Human beings think that they have a right to control everything (a scientifically given or a god given right) That is because the power of thought he posseses. And because he is the most intelligent being on earth. But unlike human beings animals do not posses a power of thought, thus they with out thinking or knowing block the path of humans. Even a cat stealing a fish from a kitchen is a conflict, yet the cat only hope to fulfill its need of food not to steal it away. Another reason is increasing of development of physical things made by human beings. The human population is high because he knoes the way to heal, thus the need of land is high both for cultivation and living.Many animals have lost their home lands so they go serching for lands in human habitat areas. In many countries it is a big issue because animals such as Elephants do not only barge into villages but destroy crops and even lives on their way. The final big issue is environment pollution and global warming. And this causes some animals especially those who cannot maintain body temperature according to need (such as fish) have become extinct and are becoming extinct.This may look as a mear happening of the pollution and global warming. How come an animal in Africa who’ve become extinct effect someone in America or Asia? Yet it does effect because as you know Planet earth is a system. Solutions Potential solutions to these conflicts include electric fencing, land use planning, community-based natural resource management (CBNRM), compensation, payment for environmental services, ecotourism, wildlife friendly products, or other field solutions.[3] In efforts to reduce human-wildlife conflict, World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) has partnered with a number of organizations to provide solutions around the globe. Their solutions are tailored to the community and species involved. For example, in Mozambique, communities started to grow more chili pepper plants after making the discovery that elephants dislike and avoid plants containing capsaicin. This creative and effective method prevents elephants from trampling community farmers’ fields as well as protects the species.

Friday, August 30, 2019

Citizen Kane Essay

An extremely wonderful, but definitely not a movie I would ever watch again because I wouldn’t be able to handle it a second time, Citizen Kane’s very title has become a masterpiece. â€Å"The Citizen Kane of its genre is about as great of praise as any film might hope to achieve. Citizen Kane’s unique status in the world of American cinema is held in its place in Hollywood history. At the height of the Hollywood studio system, when studio bosses controlled every aspect of filmmaking from production to exhibition, this film was made by a handful of brilliant artists who were given freedom to do whatever they wanted. The examples in the film of why Citizen Kane is arguably the greatest film of all time: Introduction to Xanadu.  Kane’s Death. News on the March. Introduction to Susan Alexander. Kane’s childhood, Kane Buys his First Newspaper. Introduction to Mr. Bernstein. Visual symbolism: Mr. Bernstein’s image reflected in table. Visual symbolism: Mr. Bernstein stands beneath painting of Kane. The Early Days, the Happy Days. Declaration of Principles Scene. Kane Celebrates Birth of His Newspaper Empire. Kane Returns from Paris with Wedding Engagement. Leland Recalls the Breakdown of Kane’s Marriage to Emily Norton. Kane Meets Susan Alexander. Gettys Springs His Trap. Kane Marries Susan Alexander; Her Opening Night at the The Missing Review. Susan Alexander at the El Rancho. Susan Alexander Rehearses for Opening Night. Susan Alexander’s Opening Night at the New Opera House. Argument over the Bad Reviews. Susan Alexander on Tour. After Susan’s Suicide Attempt. Life is Boring in Xanadu. Susan Leaves Kane. As Susan confronts Kane. As Kane pleads with her. As Susan realizes Kane just doesn’t get it. Kane, watching Susan walks down long corridors and out of his life. Susan walking away from camera. Visual symbolism, Susan walking out of his life, and Kane’s Rampage After Susan Leaves a Symbolic action, Kane picks up the glass ball. Symbolic dialogue, Kane says â€Å"Rosebud† metaphor: Kane’s reflections in the mirrors Answer to the Riddle of â€Å"Rosebud.† Visual symbolism, fence, No Trespassing Sign, K sign in fence in foreground, Xanadu looming in the background Visually, Welles and legendary cinematographer Gregg Toland forged a dramatic style combining such techniques as extreme deep focus, varied camera angles  including low angles revealing set ceilings, and unconventional use of lighting and deep shadows anticipating the film noir style. Individually, most of these techniques had been pioneered in other films, but Citizen Kane masterfully brought them together with unprecedented acumen and maturity. Narratively, Welles and veteran writer Herman J. Mankiewicz jointly crafted a storytelling tour de force combining non-linear narrative, composite storytelling from multiple points of view (a technique that would later be indelibly associated with Kurosawa’s Rashomon), varying narrative forms including the famous opening newsreel segment as well as interviews and flashbacks, and a dramatic span of decades with characters aging from young adulthood (or even childhood) to old age. Their characters are complex and ambiguous, and their dialogue crackles with wit and insight. Thematically, the film tackles the mystery of man from nearly every conceivable angle except religion — love, happiness, money, power, sex, marriage, divorce, politics, the media, celebrity, despair, death — in a sweepingly ambitious study that asks anew the 2000-year-old question, â€Å"What does it profit a man to gain the whole world and lose his soul?† What’s more, Kane accomplishes all this not as a rarefied art film for the ambitious few, but as a popular story for the masses, a riddle picture with the most famous twist ending in Hollywood history. This ending, of course, is the explanation of Charles Foster Kane’s dying word, â€Å"Rosebud.† The twist behind the twist is that while the final shot satisfyingly resolves the question with which the picture began, the whole notion that that the answer to that question would somehow provide the key to Kane’s life was only a journalistic conceit. The film answers the question, but refrains from offering any final explanation or judgment of its complex protagonist, suggesting that a man’s life is more than a riddle to be explained or resolved. That’s not to say that Rosebud isn’t significant. It is. It signifies innocence lost, regret, the failure of the American dream of rags-to-riches  success. It also represents what Kane lost at an early age when he was taken from his mother and father and raised by an unloving guardian. Deprived of love, burdened by too much money and power, Kane grows up with a ravenous desire to be loved despite being incapable of love himself, as well as an arrogance and sense of entitlement to getting his way. The tragedy of his life epitomizes the dark side of the pursuit of happiness, with failed marriages, broken friendships, dashed political aspirations, rapacious acquisitiveness, isolation, and despair. Controversy surrounding the release of the film has become an enduring part of its legend. The character of Charles Foster Kane was widely recognized at least in part as a fictionalized version of newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst, and Hearst furiously did his best to suppress the picture and have it destroyed. While working on Citizen Kane, Welles joked that â€Å"If they ever let me do a second picture, I’m lucky.† He was only half right. He was lucky enough to make many additional pictures, some of them masterpieces in their own right. That super awesome level of control and magic was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and Welles made the most of it. This is Citizen Kane.

Thursday, August 29, 2019

A Look at the Concerns Surrounding Internet Dependency

A Look at the Concerns Surrounding Internet Dependency The new wave of online technology has seen the Internet take an increasingly large place amongst society throughout the past few decades. The introduction of Internet-capable personal devices such as mobiles phones and tablets have granted users further access, triggering Internet traffic to grow exponentially. Due to this immense social shift towards the online, contemporary issues have appeared on both an intrapersonal and interpersonal scale. Reports during the 1990’s, when the effects of the Internet intensified, suggested that some online users were becoming addicted in much the same way that others may become addicted to drugs, alcohol or gambling. However, as has been seen since this initial prognosis, Internet addiction has shown to be much more challenging and controversial to categorise than alternative substance-based addictions. In general terms, Internet addiction can be described as excessive preoccupations, behaviours or urges regarding computer and Internet use that leads to distress or impairment (Shaw Black, 2008). This research review will identify major issues in Internet addiction, as well as overview the major controversies, such as the inauguration of Internet addiction as a concept, tests founded to measure it, general verses specific addiction, addiction to gaming and the symptoms of excessive Internet use. Substantial research in the addiction field had been accomplished throughout the 20th century, however, due to the relative newness of Internet addiction, research that clearly outlines the stages of acquisition and the consequences of this type of addiction are less prominent. First mentions of computer addiction came through anecdotal reports in the late 1970’s, specifically through the media, with colloquial terms such as ‘computer addicts’ and ‘machine-code junkies’ being used to describe heavy computer users. The general public widely accepted that symptoms of computer addiction included the impairment of psychological development and the breakdown of social relationships. A few academics took a partial interest in the field throughout the 1980’s, however serious research was not conducted until Shotton (1991) partook in a study to further analyse this issue. Through a series of interviews and questionnaires, Shotton (1991) found that the effects of computer addiction were much less severe than previous literature and the media had suggested, citing logical reasons that explain why individuals engage in interacting with a machine so extensively. Shotton (1991) believed that introverted people who turned away from human relationships could find companionship through computing. Although revolutionary, Shotton’s research became quickly less pertinent when the Internet rose to fame in the mid-1990’s drastically changing the function and usability of computers. At the 104th annual meeting of the American Psychological Association in 1996, Young (1998) presented a paper on the emergence of a new clinical disorder known as Internet addiction. Young reformed the prognosis in the DSM-IV (American Psychiatric Association, 1995) for Pathological Gambling into a brief questionnaire referred to as the Internet Addiction Diagnostic Questionnaire (IADQ) used as a screening instrument for addictive Internet use where participants who scored on 5 or more were deemed as dependant Internet users. Young demonstrated that dependant Internet users spent an average of 38.5 hours per week online, compared to 4.9 hours for non-dependant users. Furthermore, the research illustrated that non-dependant users viewed the Internet as a valuable source of information and a medium for personal and business communication. This contrasts with dependant users, who saw the Internet as a significant part of their lives, enabling them to meet and socialise with new people, with many often preferring their online friends to their real life relationships. The study likened the consequences of Internet addiction to that of other addictions, citing academic problems, work complications, distorted sleep patterns relationship difficulties, and denial of use as symptoms of excessive Internet use. Young provides a framework for further research on addictive Internet use, concluding that many individuals demonstrated impulse-control difficulty similar to pathological gambling or alcohol abuse. The proposal put forth by Young (1998) sparked much debate amongst academics which has continued to this day. Beard and Wolf (2001) contended Young’s claim, arguing that her criteria for Internet addiction were too rigid and subjective for self-reported measures. They proposed that for an individual to exhibit Internet addiction, they must meet five necessary criteria, and one of three optional criteria, both deriving from Young’s original questionnaire. Beard and Wolf go on to question the term ‘Internet addiction’ altogether, explaining that excessive Internet use cannot be defined as an addiction, as it does not result in all of the symptoms and behaviours associated with conventional addictions such as physical withdrawal. The controversy surrounding this term is currently bolder than the times of yesteryear with the Internet’s increasing hold on society. Starcevic and Aboujaoude (2016) firmly stand against the diagnosis ‘Internet addiction ’ citing some issues with its use. They argue against the term in a literal sense, citing that there is no evidence that addiction to the Internet as a medium exists, it is merely a facilitator for other behavioural addictions. Furthermore, and progressively so, the Internet is too vague a term as it refers to the limitless variety of behaviours that could be performed online. As such, the term ‘Internet addiction’ should be replaced by more specific behaviours. The concluding argument by Starcevic and Aboujaoude (2016) in the previous paragraph feeds into one of the major controversies surrounding Internet addiction, where two schools of thought have emerged. The generalised view believes that Internet addiction merits its own classification as a new psychiatric disorder, whereas the specialised view breaks down an individual’s Internet usage and defines their addiction in regards to specific online activities. After many years of debate, a modern study by Montag et al. (2015) set out to examine whether it is appropriate to differentiate between generalised and specialised Internet addiction. Participants from Europe and Asia completed two generalised scales (IAT and GPIUS-2) and a specialised scale developed to measure four domains of internet use; video gaming, shopping, social networks and pornography. The results of the study demonstrated that there are indeed specific forms of Internet addiction and that large parts of both gene ralised and specific addiction do not overlap. However, this is not true in the case of social network addiction as there was a considerable overlap between it and generalised Internet addiction. The authors argue that this may be because Facebook does not exist without the internet, unlike the other specified domains. Laconi, Tricard and Chabrol (2015) also took a keen interest in the relationship between generalised Internet addiction and specialised internet addiction. This study had participants complete an array of scales relating to specific Internet uses (gambling, sex, video watching, communication, information seeking, gaming, work, shopping) and generalised Internet use. The study determined that out of 378 participants just 29 showed symptoms of generalised Internet addiction, in contrast to 170 showing specific Internet addiction, prompting the authors to call for the distinction between the two. One of the biggest revelations for Internet addiction as a diagnosis came recently when the DSM-5 (2013) introduced a non-substance addiction for the first time in its history. Internet gaming disorder was added in Section 3 of the DSM-5 after careful review of over 250 publications in this area due to the significant amount of research in recent years and the consequences of the condition. Prior to the DSM-5, a substantial number of tests were used to examine Internet addiction, generating no clear diagnostic criteria. One of the more popular tests was proposed by Young (1998) in her original paper and known as the Internet Addiction Test (IAT). This scale added to the IADQ as it contained 20 items measured on a Likert scale. Its internal consistency has been examined amongst a variety of settings, most of which have proven to be positive (Widyanto McMurran, 2004). However, its factor structure has been inconsistently reported in different contexts challenging its original unidimen sional design (Lai et al., 2013). Through a systematic review of 68 epidemiological studies on Internet addiction, Kuss et al. (2014) reported that as many as twenty-one different scales were developed between the IAT in 1998 to the DSM-5 in 2013 in an attempt to examine an individual’s addiction to the Internet, each test with their own issues. Petry et al. (2014) discuss the inclusion of Internet gaming disorder in the DSM-5 by assembling international experts to achieve consensus about assessing this disorder in an array of contexts as defined by the nine criteria in the DSM-5. Pre-occupation refers to the individual thinking about gaming not only while playing but also while they are not playing. Withdrawal refers to particular symptoms that emerge when one is unable to initiate gaming, or when one is trying to withhold from gaming. Tolerance denotes that an individual feels the need to game for extended periods of time to feel sufficient excitement. The fourth criterion is unsuccessful attempts to stop or reduce gaming. A person with Internet gaming disorder may also protrude a loss of interest in other hobbies or activities. The individual may also continue to game excessively even though they are aware of the negative consequences that arise from this behaviour. Deception refers to lying about the extent of their time gaming to others. The penultimate criteria the authors discussed is using gaming as an escape or relief from a negative mood, such as feelings of anxiety, sadness or depression. A person with Internet gaming disorder may also jeopardise or lose valuable relationships, work opportunities or educational opportunities due to their attraction to gaming. For the DSM-5 to deem an individual with this disorder, they must meet five or more of the criteria discussed within the past year. However, as Internet gaming disorder is situated in Section 3 of the DSM, which contains emerging measures and models, and due to the relative newness of the field, much more research must be conducted to produce a definitive set of criteria. Of all specific Internet addictions, online gaming has arguably garnered the most attention to date from academics and researchers alike. Similar to the studies previously discussed, Rehbein and Mà ¶ÃƒÅ¸le (2013) set out to determine whether video game addiction specifically could be distinguished as its own diagnosis in contrast to being attached to Internet addiction as a whole. A range of relevant data was collected from a large sample of 4436 school participants on their video game and Internet usage patterns, along with questions related to their psychological wellbeing. The results determined that video game addiction and Internet addiction can very much be regarded as two distinct nosological entities, and it is important to do so, as there are supreme differences in the sociodemographic characteristics between the two groups. The authors found that males primarily made up the group of video game addicts, whereas females predominately found themselves in the Internet addicted group. Early in the lifespan of the Internet, Young (1998) found that users were drawn to real-time services such as internet relay chat (IRC) and multi-user domains (MUD). As technology is advanced, these amenities developed further into three-dimensional graphical representations in the form of online games. Massively multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPGs) took the world by storm in the early 2000s through titles such as â€Å"Everquest†, where users were able to play out the life of a character in an online world with other players. Ng and Wiemer-Hastings (2005) investigated the different usages between MMORPG players and Non-MMORPG players by collecting anonymous surveys posted on various gaming forums. Interestingly, MMORPG players were seen to spend significantly more time investing in online gaming. However, the authors emphasise that these players cannot be classified as addicted as they display opposing characteristics to an addict, in that they do not seek self-con fidence from the game, would not be irritated if they spent extended periods of time without playing and would find fun elsewhere if MMORPGs did not exist. The authors suggest that MMORPG players have a different perspective on social life, or labelled as introverted by some, and chose to socialise through online gaming rather than in the real world. Comparable to the term itself, the symptoms of Internet addiction have been hotly debated since its proposal in the mid-1990’s (Valkenburg Peter, 2009). In the early years of Internet addiction, the predominant belief amongst researchers was that this disorder had a detrimental effect both psychologically and socially. This was demonstrated in a famous study by Kraut et al. (1998) where they analysed this very idea in a longitudinal study. Measures of Internet use were collected over a two-year period, and social and psychological well-being were measured through reliable self-reports by individuals who had never used the Internet prior. Like other studies at the time, Kraut et al. found that excessive use of the Internet was associated with increases in loneliness and depression and declines in social involvement Due to the increased accessibility of the Internet in a contemporary setting, many academics elude to the convoluted consequences of extreme Internet use in the modern day. Bessiere, Kiesler, Kraut and Boneva (2008) predicted, using previous hypotheses, that the way an individual uses the Internet will produce an increase or decrease in psychological and/or social well-being. A study similar to that of Kraut et al. (1998) was generated to decidedly distant results. Firstly, it was found that using the internet for things other than communication had no apparent consequences on well-being. Additionally, they found that using the Internet to communicate with family and friends actually had declining levels of depression. Whereas using the Internet as a means to interconnect with, and meet new people did induce increased levels of depression. Finally, the authors found that individuals with high levels of social support initially were more prone to negative social consequences in compar ison to those with low levels of social support. All aspects of Internet addiction are still up for debate. With the further protrusion of its presence in the everyday lives of more and more people, many studies have become invalid within a short period, making it problematic to keep up with the ever-changing landscape. Increased accessibility and affordability enable almost everybody the chance to be sucked in by the Internet, whereas in years gone past, especially in its inception, it was a more exclusive group. Perhaps this means that Internet addiction will become more widespread over the coming years, or contrastingly, the concept will die off due the normalisation of its overuse. As has been discussed throughout this review, many scales have been developed in an attempt to diagnose, and it is expected that much more will be established in the future as Internet use becomes increasingly prominent. It is evident that the distinction between generalised and specific Internet addiction needs to be entrenched to improve diagnoses, and this step has been taking with the introduction of the Internet Gaming Disorder in the DSM-5 (American Psychiatric Association, 2013). Much more research needs to be conducted within this field in the coming years to gain decisive conclusions. However researchers may be fighting a losing battle due to the Internet’s perpetual innovations.

Wednesday, August 28, 2019

An investigation of growth via effective leadreship and management The Essay

An investigation of growth via effective leadreship and management The strategies that need to be employed.A case study of Ogo Oluwa Traders - Essay Example Whereas Plachy (2005) contends that leadership is the ability to define and accomplish an organisation’s aim by examining the needs, evaluating resources and setting goals and objectives consistent with the aim and resources, planning, directing and evaluating actions designed to reach the goals and objectives. Whilst McWhinney believes that the definition of leadership should be limited to the style (approach) and skill that are used by a person or group to guide an effort. Johnson and Scholes (1993) argue that leadership is ‘the process of influencing an organisation (or group within an organisation) in its efforts towards achieving an aim or goal. They argue that a leader is not someone who is at the top position but rather someone who can influence. The definition given by Johnson and Scholes is contradicting to some extent in that how can one be influential without being at the top position or lead role? On the contrary, Dubin (1951) argues that, leadership is the exercise of authority and making of decisions. Concurringly, Hemphill (1954) voice his view that ‘Leadership is the initiation of acts that result in a consistent pattern of group interaction directed toward the solution of mutual problems’ From the arguments raised, one can deduce that a leader can or cannot be seen physically in an organisation but has the power to manipulate or persuade organisational policies. If such is the case then a leader has the final ‘say’ or decision in matters affecting an organisation and therefore responsible for the organisation. Moreover, it can be deduced that leadership is a relationship between a leader and his followers. Analogously, management is to forecast and plan, to organise, to command, to coordinate and to control (Fayol 1916). In comparison, Koontz and O’Donnell (1984) define management as an operational process initially best

Tuesday, August 27, 2019

History Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

History - Essay Example The Jewish police even shot at sight if they spied the inmates trying to escape. For example, they had shot at Leib Zelkowicz with a 7.65 pistol in July 1941, when he tried to escape. Leib had been at the Litzmannstadt Ghetto since June 1940, but made his escape in 1941 and thereafter worked on the farms in the county of Gostynin. The speech by Chaim Rumkoivski on May 15th 1944 (L9) sheds light on the deportation of the Jews. He explains that though the ghetto already had a population of 140,000 people, yet they were going to take in an additional 23,000. Nevertheless, the authorities have taken a decision of deporting about 10,000 from their ghetto. The people assigned to be deported are those individuals who were harmful to the ghetto and the underworld dons. Chaim refers to these people as a ‘festering boil’ and because of their behavior they asked for this kind of fate. (L9) He tells them that his commission of trusted aides chooses the people for deportation and he asks them not to make an appeal to remain at the ghetto. He also assures them that these deportees will not remain behind wire but would be given a chance to work on the farms. In the (W2) document by Michael Berenbaum2 (ed.) we come to understand how innocent people in the ghetto face the death row even though they were not guilty of any crime. The order that was passed was that 100 Jews and 10 Order Service men would be executed because they had opposed order by the German policemen. The atrocity was that the 10 patrolmen were not guilty of any crime but yet were given orders by the German City Police to be executed. Though a petition was put in for a curfew, the action taken for it was very slow. In the (W4) document we get a clear picture of the brutality exhibited by the Jewish police. They were violent and merciless and dragged women and children by their hands and feet and threw them on the wagons to be executed. The police also beat those who tried to escape. The Jewish poli ce did not mind killing their own kind too. They meted out inhuman treatment to those criminals who refused to go voluntarily to their death. In the (W4) the document gives evidence of ‘The Jewish Council’ being part and parcel of the illegal activities of the police and this was the group that took many decisions involving the deportation of the ghetto inmates. The following sentence in (W4) is proof of their nefarious activities - The officials of the Jewish Council also cooperated in the "operation," as did the service of the KAM-City Aid Committee. The Jewish police were considered to be the ‘chief culprits’ for the mass slaughters that took place. (W4) According to the documents of (K1) about the Kovino Ghetto,3 there was a great massacre of around 10,000 people at one time on 28th October, 1941. Neither the Jewish Council nor the police show any sympathy during the ‘selection’ (K1) The heartrending screams and cries of the people fell onl y on deaf ears as they were led to their miserable death. These details we come to understand through the (K1) document which was a letter from a father to his daughter who was an eye witness to the

Monday, August 26, 2019

Philosophy of Bacon Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Philosophy of Bacon - Essay Example In ancient days few people used to be educated. Philosophers and religious heads used to rule the roost of the society. The society used to honor the religious heads. Philosophers became lack of education and lack of understanding the world. Of course it is true that there very same person frightened of religions and the philosophers were restarting as the progress of society. In the ancient times then and to be great philosophers like Epicures, Zeno, Cleanthes, Arcecitators, Cameades, Pyrrho, Tenion etc. Their philosophy was being questioned by the society, the European society. A new generation of though is surfacing, questioning the very existence of the ancient European Philosophers. New thinkers started throwing open their material, pragmatic formats of a new philosophy to the world. A renaissance is gaming and its theories of modern philosophy. It is an intellectual comes and with some modern philosophy, the authorship used to be denied the work has to be renamed an ancient phi losopher and then only it used to be accepted. Such was the ancient Philosophers sway on the society. As a matter of fact the work done by any intellectual is not his own. It is rediscovered and it had actually because written by an ancient philosophers and it is only rediscovered by this intellect.But everything changed in the beginning of the 17th century in the renaissance a reaction started selling is against the old philosophers. People started liking to criticize it reject it, and attempting something new. To establish a fact that modern philosophers was to reborn in early in modern Europe, after its united 300 years in carnation in ancient Greece. In the ancient world there were energy bottlenecks. They were not able to probe or enhance their sources of energy. They had to cut the plants and burn for energy. To a little one only or a limited use only. Usage if animals and their own lab our, and the energy of slaves was too little for them to allow then create devices that might allow them to create more energy. Therefore in ancient days people were not able to have a control over the materials they were having. Rather to say that they did not know the scientific approach to marks best of material that are available. Then came the new modern period wherein falls etc. started producing used energy and more control over the circumstances. The society was changing for better and started living in comfort. The invention powering the galleries avoiding the rowing of slaves, the invention of magnetic compares hardening enough weird energy to soul even though out fitted with cannons gun powder to fire the canon to use in mining purposed, the invention of a mechanical clock the printing press and so an and so forth. Francis Bacon was an early thinker Francis Bacon explained more vividly about and they can think plan and devise means and ways to interfere with the nature. He was very optimistic of a more enlightened and more powerful humane. Being and they can achieve miracles in interfering with the nature. They can make best use of the nature. Bacon believes in humane power and its aim is to generate and super induce a new nature on a given body. The work and aim of human knowledge is to sources of emanations. True knowledge is knowledge by causes, caused are four kinds (1) The material (2) The formal (3) The efficient (4) The final Of these four materials and efficient are of little consequences, if every thing is true and active science. If a man acquires knowledge only on certain subjects, his knowledge is also imperfect. If a efficient and material caused he may discover certain things reference to substances in some degree similar to another selected before hand, both may not become so efficient to touch the deeper bound rise of the things.

Workplace Incivility vs. Organizational Affective Commitment Essay

Workplace Incivility vs. Organizational Affective Commitment - Essay Example Although there is no guarantee that HR can reduce the negative effects of workplace incivility that lead to low employee morale, job satisfaction, stress, health problems, high absenteeism and high turnover at the workplace, certain HR practices such as hiring, orientation and mentoring newly hired employees are developed to control workplace incivility. A fundamental HR practice that enhances affective commitment, on the other hand, would be developing and creating a work environment that discourages workforce incivility and allows workers to be treated with respect and dignity. Workforce incivility refers to a less intense nonstandard behavior pertaining to the breach of workplace norms where the intention of inflicting harm on the other party is unknown (L.M. and C.M. 1999). Incivility at the workplace can manifest itself in forms as subtle as displaying reluctance to work, feeling de energized, demoralized and underappreciated. In short, workforce incivility implies an atmosphere whereby the workforce is faced with rudeness and socially unacceptable behavior at the workplace. More often than not, the cause of workforce incivility is the behavior of co-workers rather than supervisors (Yeung and Gnffin 2008). Several researches have been conducted regarding the relation of workforce incivility to self-esteem and the self-respect of the workforce. Several workplace practices have contributed to workforce incivility; de-layering, downsizing, Business Process Reengineering, cutting budgets, enhancing productivity to name a few (Yeung and Gnffin 2008). According to one research conducted, over 71% of respondents had gone through some acts of workforce incivility in a five year time period (Cortina, et al. 2001). The speed with which advanced communications technology evolves, including advanced cell phones such as Blackberry, has also enhanced the scope of workforce incivility. The instances of mistreatment are no longer limited to the workplace; they have spread to the cyberspace as well. A more inclusive approach towards workforce incivility defines it as the set of explicit (verbal) and implicit (non-verbal) actions that lead to individuals feeling demoralized, de-energized, oppressed, exploited or humiliated in the workplace (Yeung and Gnffin 2008). Furthermore, it has been proven that workforce incivility translates to low employee morale, job satisfaction, stress, health problems, high absenteeism and high turnover at the workplace. Evidence also suggests that if this mistreatment is not rectified, it eventually results in high costs of hiring and training, poor work environment, lower productivity, costs of claims and law suits. According to one author, Sutton’s methodology, the total cost of workforce incivility for Silicon Valley owing to the incivility of one key worker amounts to US$160,000 per year (Yeung and Gnffin 2008). In this study he fully considered the cost of incivility in terms of the victims, management, law as well as human resources. According to research conducted by the U.K Department of Health, the cost of stress induced by workforce incivility amounts to ? 1.3 billion annually (Yeung and Gnffin 2008). Throughout the world, the engagement of employees has been considered as an essential factor in identification of best employers as well as talent. Employee engagement is a holistic construct which is defined in terms of emotional and cognitive commitment. Commitment here is defined as the urge to â€Å"stay† (continue to work in the company), â€Å"strive† (put in extra endeavors to enhance the performance of the company beyond the tasks mentioned in the job description) and â€Å"say† (spread positive word of mouth regarding the organization) (Yeung and Gnffin

Sunday, August 25, 2019

Employment law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Employment law - Essay Example This could also be held to be unreasonable behavior. A general rule has been set out in the case of General Billposting Co Ltd v Atkinson1 it was held that there may be instances where an employer has behaved so badly towards an employee that the employee can treat his employment contract as if it is at an end. When this is the case, the employer may not be able to impose any post termination restrictive covenant on the employee, because the contract has been ended as a result of the employer’s own fault, hence he will not have the right to demand that the employee adhere to any conditions post employment. Thus, on this basis, Ali has grounds to contest the sudden change in the contract that has been made by Balmoral. It must also be noted that there may have been certain terms implied in Ali’s original contract, such as the duty of an employee not to work for competitors, even during off duty hours, as also stated in the cases of Hivac Ltd v Park Royal Scientific Instruments Ltd2and Provident Financial Group plc v Hayward.3 Ali’s original contract with Balmoral would have already included the implicit restriction on working for competitors, therefore the grounds for Balmoral instituting a new contract may itself be subject to dispute. In general, once an employment contract has been entered into with an employee, an employer may not change the terms without first obtaining the consent of the employee.4 Unless the original contract Ali had with Balmoral allows the flexibility of changing contractual terms, Balmoral will be required to follow the correct procedure and offer the terms to Ali, who is at liberty to accept or reject them. Balmoral’s dismissal of Ali on the grounds of refusal to accept new terms may give rise to grounds for a breach of contract. Even assuming that the new contract was deemed necessary after the recent incidences of poaching staff, it will be difficult for

Saturday, August 24, 2019

The Forties World War II Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Forties World War II - Essay Example Churning process was going on in America that altered the political equations. The economic and social measures introduced by President Franklin D. Roosevelt brought about structural changes in the economy and the political scenario of America, with massive buildup of infrastructure and fillip to the art and cultural fronts. On the other hand, deep psychological fissures took concrete shape and administrative measures were taken to keep a watch on the ethnic groups belonging to the enemy country. Even though majority of them were citizens of America, the war situation rendered them suspect as a community. This created another area of dissention within the American society. Whether legally justified or not, American administration had no other option but to keep a close watch with some harsh measures, on the section of the population that was considered sympathetic to the enemy. The entire nation was in turmoil. Labor groups and student unions were taking up the path of communist ideology. Marxist study groups were formed at many universities for teaching that ideology to professors and students. American administration began to develop the infrastructure on a massive scale and cultural renaissance was afforded priority to keep the people engaged in arts and culture and the Federal Government took respon sibility to develop these areas. Unionization was recognized and regulated by law and this provided fillip to the worker’s movement. Most importantly, the Social Security Act was passed that ensured the welfare of the senior citizens on retirement. The Wealth Tax Act taxed the rich, brought new high revenues to the Government and a sense of relief amongst the poor that the Government is paying attention to their welfare. Japan was the enemy country and the people of Japanese origin were ordered to be interned by Executive Order No.9066 by the President Franklin D, Roosevelt issued

Friday, August 23, 2019

How does the TV show ( The Simpsons) effect my live Essay

How does the TV show ( The Simpsons) effect my live - Essay Example the following analysis will seek to engage the reader with an understanding of the impact that The Simpsons have had upon my own life and the manner by which I will ultimately intend on raising my own family. Essentially, The Simpsons served as a comedy program that could be enjoyed by each and every member of our family; when I was growing up. As such, my parents were not overly conservative and did not attempt to restrict the overall access the television in our home or otherwise only approved certain programs for viewing. The understanding that was unspoken, at least in our home, was the fact that when situations arose and were represented on television that did not abide by the rules of our family or the point of view that children were expected to respect, these did not need to be restricted; they merely needed to be dismissed. As such, I have distinct memories of several occasions in which my parents would laugh along with the plot of The Simpsons; turning to me and saying something to the effect of â€Å"you had best never do anything like that†. As such, even though this particular show was comedy, I was fully aware of the fact, even from an early age, that not everything represented within it should be taken exemplification from model behavior. In terms of The Simpsons and its overall impact upon how I will raise my own family, it should be noted that I will follow a very similar approach to that which my parents ascribe to during my own childhood. Rather than restricting access to certain television shows and ultimately attempting censor the media, the best approach is to enjoy these television shows with the appropriate age groups in question and merely categorized at certain times that specific behavior is not allowable and when not be tolerated. As such, the parent child relationship does not become one that is domineering; it becomes one that is beneficial and utilizes media as a way of helping to further define the roles that individuals within the

Thursday, August 22, 2019

Aeromedical Factors Essay Example for Free

Aeromedical Factors Essay One philosophy that some persons question, including a few of our own aviation medical examiners, relates to our greater flexibility in granting special issuances to private pilots as opposed to air carrier and other commercial pilots. The arguments against such flexibility rotate around the thought that, in the event of a medical incapacitation, an air carrier or commercial pilot usually has another pilot on board who can take control of the aircraft and safely land. In contrast, the private pilot often has no such safety net and, therefore, a medical incapacitation is likely to have severe safety consequences. In the case of the private pilot, I think we can be more flexible and allow that pilot to assume some risks for him or herself that we would not permit in air carrier or other commercial operations. This philosophy is frequently challenged regarding the safety of persons who fly as invitees of the private pilot. The risk derives not only from the medical status of the pilot, but the pilots proficiency and experience as well as the airworthiness of the aircraft. One might suggest that our approach, allowing greater flexibility in the medical certification of private pilots, constitutes experimentation with safety in private operations. This suggestion might have some validity if private pilots who are granted special issuances experience a significant number of medically related accidents. Humans regard vision as their most valuable sense, yet they fail to appreciate what a remarkable and complicated organ the human eye is. The rods are concentrated in a ring around the cones. Both the cones and the rods are used for vision during daylight and bright moonlight. The pilot should consciously practice this scanning procedure to improve night vision. It is important for the pilot to maintain good physical condition. While dim red lighting has the least adverse effect on night vision, it severely distorts colors. Older pilots may experience extreme difficulty in focusing the eyes on objects inside the cockpit. In addition to night vision, the pilot should also be aware of how to cope with illusions encountered during night flight. Refer to Advisory Circulars 61-23B, Pilots Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, and 61 21A, Flight Training Handbook, and the Aeronautical Information Manual for further information on the above subjects. The term hearing describes the process, function, or power of perceiving sound. The sense of hearing makes it possible to perceive, process, and identify among the myriad of sounds from the surrounding environment. Anatomy and Physiology of the Auditory System The auditory system consists of the external ear, ear canal, eardrum, auditory ossicles, cochlea (which resembles a snail shell and is filled with fluid), and the auditory nerve. Ambient sound waves are collected by the external ear, conducted through the ear canal, and cause the eardrum to vibrate. Sound waves are variations in air pressures above and below the ambient pressure. All sounds have three distinctive variables: frequency, intensity, and duration. Frequency is the physical property of sound that gives it a pitch. Since sound energy propagates in a wave-form, it can be measured in terms of wave oscillations or wave cycles per second, known as hertz (Hz). Sounds that are audible to the human ear fall in the frequency range of about 20-20,000 Hz, and the highest sensitivity is between 500 and 4,000 Hz. Sounds below 20 Hz and above 20,000 Hz cannot be perceived by the human ear. The decibel (dB) is the unit used to measure sound intensity. The range of normal hearing sensitivity of the human ear is between -10 to +25 dB. Sounds below -10dB are generally imperceptible. A pilot who cannot hear a sound unless its intensity is higher than 25 dB (at any frequency) is already experiencing hearing loss. Duration determines the quality of the perception and discrimination of a sound, as well as the potential risk of hearing impairment when exposed to high intensity sounds. The adverse consequences of a short-duration exposure to a loud sound can be as bad as a long-duration exposure to a less intense sound. Noise The term noise refers to a sound, especially one which lacks agreeable musical quality, is noticeably unpleasant, or is too loud. In other words, noise is any unwanted or annoying sound. Categorizing a sound as noise can be very subjective. The aviation environment is characterized by multiple sources of noise, both on the ground and in the air. Noise is produced by aircraft equipment-powerplants, transmission systems, jet efflux, propellers, rotors, hydraulic and electrical actuators, cabin conditioning and pressurization systems, cockpit advisory and alert systems, communications equipment, etc. All pilots know the sounds of a normal- functioning aircraft. The effects of pre-flight exposure to noise can adversely affect pilot in-flight performance. Types of Noise Examples: aircraft powerplant noise, propeller noise, and pressurization system noise. According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), the maximum permissible continuous exposure level to steady noise in a working environment is 90 dB for eight hours. The eardrum may be ruptured by intense levels (140 dB) of impulse/blast noise. Effects of Noise Exposure Physiological Ear discomfort may occur during exposure to a 120 dB noise. Ear pain may occur during exposure to a 130 dB noise. Eardrum rupture may occur during exposure to a 140 dB noise. Temporary hearing impairment. Unprotected exposure to loud, steady noise over 90 dB for a short time, even several hours, may cause hearing impairment. This effect is usually temporary and hearing returns to normal within several hours following cessation of the noise exposure. Permanent hearing impairment. Unprotected exposure to loud noise (higher than 90 dB) for eight or more hours per day for several years, may cause a permanent hearing loss. Subjective Effects: Annoying high-intensity noise can cause distraction, fatigue, irritability, startle responses, sudden awakening and poor sleep quality, loss of appetite, headache, vertigo, nausea, and impair concentration and memory. Speech Interference: Loud noise can interfere with or mask normal speech, making it difficult to understand. Tasks that require vigilance, concentration, calculations, and making judgments about time can be adversely affected by exposure to loud no ise higher than 100 dB. How to Protect Your Hearing Limiting Duration of Exposure to Noise: OSHA-established permissible noise exposure limits for the workplace(Fiugure 2) (including the cockpit of an aircraft). Use Hearing Protection Equipment. If the ambient noise level exceeds OSHAs permissible noise exposure limits, you should use hearing protection devices-earplugs, earmuffs, communication headsets, or active noise reduction headsets. Even if an individual already has some level of permanent hearing loss, using hearing protection equipment should prevent further hearing damage. These protection devices attenuate noise waves before they reach the eardrum, and most of them are effective at reducing high-frequency noise levels above 1,000 Hz and/or for reducing noise levels to, or below, 50 dB. Earplugs. Insertable-type earplugs offer a very popular, inexpensive, effective, and comfortable approach to provide hearing protection. Communication Headsets. Active Noise Reduction Headsets. This type of headset uses active noise reduction technology that allows the manipulation of sound and signal waves to reduce noise, improve signal-to-noise ratios, and enhance sound quality. Active noise reduction provides effective protection against low-frequency noise. The electronic coupling of a low-frequency noise wave with its exact mirror image cancels this noise. * Combinations of Protection Devices. The combination of earplugs with earmuffs or communication headsets is recommended when ambient noise levels are above 115 dB. Earplugs, combined with active noise reduction headsets, provide the maximum level of individual hearing protection that can be achieved with current technology. [Editors Note: Be careful you dont muffle too much engine noise when you combine ear protection devices. Bibliography Aeromedical factors. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.free-online-private-pilot-ground-school.com/aeromedical.html Aeromedical factors. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://ntc.cap.af.mil/ops/dot/school/CAPF5_Course/aeromedical.htm Aeromedical factors: cfi lesson plan. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://cfi-lesson-plans.com/aeromedical-factors/ Aerospace medicine human factors. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://aeromedical.org/avmed_home.php Office of aerospace medicine. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.faa.gov/about/office_org/headquarters_offices/avs/offices/aam/cami/

Wednesday, August 21, 2019

History of Western Civilization Essay Example for Free

History of Western Civilization Essay Civilizations of societies started long before the times Jesus in the Middle East especially in the ancient Greek and Roman Empires. In the 18th century most European countries followed the suit and underwent changes from pre- industrialized to industrialized nations characterized by social and economic changes. There were a lot of technological innovations which led to increased energy production and thus large scale production of most products with ease. Industrialization has over the years been linked to some factors which enhance fast changes for instance cheap skilled labor, political stability, presence of raw materials and available markets of the products produced. Industrial revolution was experienced in England to the northwest and the midlands. People used to make their own furniture, clothes and equipments until industrialization took over whereby they could buy goods already made from the industries. History of Western Civilization England underwent several civilizations in which there was increased agricultural output (Agrarian revolution) which led to increased population density and eventually led to the industrial revolution. New techniques were initiated and allowed farmers to produce more yield than there before. As time passed machines and other equipments were produced by skilled personnel who sold them to those who were specialized in agriculture. The business to make machines and other related equipments boomed and led formation of a class of people who worked in the industries as they expanded. These machines were very advantageous because they substituted the human job since it did not involve a lot of work and therefore people did not get tired fast. Those who worked in the industries earned more than those who were specialized on agriculture. Most of these industries were located in the urban centers and they would obtain their raw materials from the farmers in the country side. Industrialization in England led to numerous increases in population leading to less arable land and therefore some of the people migrated to other countries where they introduced the new techniques for agriculture and industry (Landes, 1969). However, most of the skilled personnel were not allowed to immigrate to the England’s new colonies so that England would remain superior in technological advances. Industrialization in England was characterized by many factors which made this country to be first to be industrialized. Agrarian, commercial and cottage revolutions greatly enhanced the fast social and economic changes in this country leading to a lot of extra money which facilitated the improvement of infrastructure. The industries spread all over England and Europe and since the number of workers were reducing as a result of immigration to England colonies, they resulted in taking people from the countries that were still not in the process of social and economic change especially in Africa and made them to work in their farms and industries as slaves. As more and more industries were built the private sector was also changing as money for expansion and setting up of more industries was needed. This led to the emergence of banks and other financial institutions which financed all these industrialization activities. These institutions gave loans to people to expand and introduce more industries and then repay later with the profits obtained. At around this time of industrialization most people used wood as a source of energy for the industries. The number of industries increased enormously and therefore the number of trees reduced drastically and made the people to think of alternative source of energy. They came up with coal which was used in the industries as an alternative and could be even used in homes. The coal mines were usually flooded with water at times and a method of pumping water out of the mines was innovated but the coal would not generate power. This method was not embraced and therefore coal was not a lasting solution and more innovations needed to be initiated for instance in the textile industry. Textile industry in England was the first industry to be mechanized and utilized wool which obtained from large scale sheep farms in the country. Weaving was usually done in cottages by skilled people after which the yarn was taken to the industries where it would be made in to clothes. England by then conquered many colonies where they would grow cotton in addition to importing cotton and used to substitute the wool. At around 1773 John Kay introduced a machine he named the flying shuttle which made it possible for a person to easily weave. In the textile industry machines that utilized water for energy were introduced. This machinery could reduce the cost of production and at the same time increase the rate of production. These measures were taken when the cost of production started to sky rocket reducing the profits of the merchants and the merchants did not want to raise the goods prices in a quest to maintain their customers. Transportation in England was favored by the fact that it had many rivers and natural harbors which greatly reduced transportation costs because rivers covered most areas and therefore goods could be transported to most parts of the country. Canals were also built on rivers which were not naturally navigable and also facilitated easy transportation of raw materials from farms in England and from distant colonies and transportation of finished products from the industries to the consumers. Tram ways which were pulled by horses were also used especially when transporting goods inland until when trains were made and used instead because they relatively faster. Due to the limitation of the road transport some people decided to borrow loans from the financial institutions ton repair them and then use toll fees to repay the loans. This would also ensure easy transportation of goods in areas where the rivers and coastline was far away. Improvement of roads led to introduction of stage coaches which would transport even people from one area to another. Transport was boosted with the introduction and improvement of railway. The first type of railway was wooden and did not last long until when iron plates were put on top of the wood and the railway became more durable. Another factor that facilitated faster industrialization of England is its isolation from the European mainland. This helped this country to evade the wars that were occurring at this time for instance the Napoleon war. They concentrated more on development and industrialization of their country till the wars were over. After the war the British took advantage of selling their products to the other European countries and the Americas at relatively cheap prices thereby making a lot of profits. The private sector with the government support also helped a lot by offering loans to people for expansion and initiation of new industries and for the repair of roads which enhanced faster movement of goods between places. Conclusion Civilization of England in many ways has influenced the modern world with only improvement of the machineries that were made during the period of industrialization. The support from the government and relative stability of the country made it to develop even faster without any worries of attacks during the war of Napoleon in the mainland. Advancements in technology led to improvement and construction of new transport systems and infrastructure which also facilitated movement of raw materials and finished products to the several destinations within England and other countries. Civilization in England led to migration of people to the urban centers where they would be able to obtain jobs in the urban centers. This situation is the same even in the modern days where especially young people move to the towns and cities in search of better jobs in the industries. References Jackson, S. Western Civilization: A Brief History. 4th Edition. Cengage Learning, 2007. Jacob, F. The Development of Western Civilization : A study in Ethical, Economic and Political Kenneth, P. Steven, T. The world that trade created: society, culture, and the world economy, 1400- the present. 2nd Edition. M. E Sharpe, 1999. Richard, B. Society and Economy in Modern Britain 1700-1850. Routledge, 1991. Evolution. The University of Chicago Press, 1906. Roy, P. David, L. The Cambridge History of Science: Eighteenth-century science. 2nd Edition. Cambridge University Press, 2003.

Tuesday, August 20, 2019

Ethics in Psychology and Criminal Justice

Ethics in Psychology and Criminal Justice Ethical behavior is important within any discipline whether it be automobile mechanics or brain surgeons. Two disciplines in which ethical behavior is especially important are the disciplines of criminal justice and psychology due to the vulnerable state of the individuals which are encountered on a daily basis. Straying from compliance of ethical guidelines in either of these disciplines could result in mental damage in psychology, false arrests or acquittals in criminal justice, or termination and dishonor within either discipline. This manuscript discusses a couple ethical dilemmas within the disciplines of psychology and criminal justice as well as provides examples of each. The manuscript also briefly discusses the similar variables which make each discipline sensitive to ethical behavior. Ethical Dilemmas in Psychology and Criminal Justice Within any profession, whether it is a psychology, law enforcement, news casting, or even an automobile mechanic, an individuals integrity plays a pivotal role in how successful their endeavors turn out. Integrity, as defined by the Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, is firm adherence to a code of especially moral or artistic values (Integrity, 2010). One whose integrity is compromised may be perceived as irresponsible, dishonest, and possibly even immoral. One thing that affects ones integrity is whether or not the individual conducts themselves in an ethical manner. Ethics within in a profession are a set of moral principals used to determine whether a certain behavior is right or wrong. Most disciplines have an ethical code whether it is implied or actually documented. For example, the American Psychological Association has a set of ethical principals published through which psychologists may judge whether a particular behavior or action is ethically sound (American Psychological Association, 1992). Alternatively, automobile mechanics have no generally accepted, published, ethics code. In a case such as this, establishments may be certified by different organizations which have developed an ethical code or they may develop one of their own (Mechanics R Us, 2010). This manuscript will discuss some ethical dilemmas which have been encountered and studied within the fields of psychology and criminal justice. Literature Review The American Psychological Association published a set of guidelines and codes which govern ethical behaviors within the psychological field (American Psychological Association, 1992). These codes cover most if not all aspects of psychology from therapy to research. It is upon this foundation that the choices of ethical dilemmas within the field of psychology are based. Also based upon these ethical guidelines Sherwin (1998) made a statement regarding the effects of unethical behavior upon the vulnerable individuals that psychological professionals encounter on a daily basis. Peternelj-Taylor (2002) and Lambie (2005) both provided examples of ethical dilemmas professionals within the psychological field may encounter. Peternelj-Taylor writes on the dilemma of over- and under-involvement with patients. Wartenburg (1990) discusses how the ideal amount of involvement for a professional within the psychological field to have with a client lies in an area called transformative power. Everett and Gallop (2001) went on to describe the ideal purpose of transformative power. Lambies (2005) composition involved the divulgence of suspected child abuse by school counselors. Crenshaw, Lichtenberg, and Bartell (1993) as well as Sechrist (2000) performed analyses that found problems in the amount of times that suspected child abuse is reported. Wilson, Ireton, Wood (1997) discussed how this dilemma ranks high among the concerns of helping professionals. The decision to report suspected child abuse is governed not only ethically but legally as well. In 1974, the National Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (PL 93-247) provided a definition of child abuse (42 USCS 5101). Most states have also enacted statutes and laws which make divulgence of suspected child abuse required by law North Carolina General Statutes (2003). The differing professions within the field of criminal justice are also governed by sets of ethical guidelines. One ethical dilemma which is encountered within law enforcement is the use of excessive force. The case of Rodney King provides an excellent, high-profile example upon which to base the effects of this dilemma (Cannon, 1997). Schoch Lin (2007) found that, even several years after the event, a degree of civil unrest as well as a deep seated mistrust of the criminal justice community still exists. Vidmar (2002) discusses the ethical dilemma of introducing prejudice within the courtroom. He uses examples of cases in which he was called to analyze the amount of prejudice including Regents of the University of California vs. Genentech (1999) and R. v. Reynolds (1997). In these cases he found that it does not take much for prejudice to find its way into the courtroom setting and affect the opinions of those involved. Discussion Ethical Dilemmas in Psychology As one may easily ascertain, ethical behavior in any aspect of psychology is incredibly important. In many instances, those that participate in psychological research or receive a treatment of some sort from a psychologist are in a vulnerable state of mind. Sherwin (1998) said it best stating without a strong principle of respect for patient autonomy, patients are vulnerable to abuse or exploitation, when their weak and dependant position makes them easy targets to serve the interests (e. g. financial, academic, or social influence) of others (p. 20). In cases such as this, the psychologist must be incredibly cautious with the actions they take or risk causing damage that may take years to treat or may even be irreversible. Consequences against the psychologist may include having their qualifications questioned or possibly even legal actions. The ethical guidelines for the discipline of psychology are published in the Ethical Principals of Psychologists and Code of Conduct (American Psychological Association, 1992). In this section the manuscript will cover some ethical dilemmas which have been discussed within published literature. One ethical dilemma that psychologists may encounter involves relationships with patients outside of the patient-therapist or patient-researcher relationship. Peternelj-Taylor (2002), a nurse who worked as a team leader on a sexual offender unit of a maximum security forensic hospital, discussed this dilemma at length. Within the manuscript, the researcher discusses psychologists over-involvement and under-involvement with a patient. Over-involvement with a patient includes relationships past patient-therapist relations including friendships or sexual relations with patients. Under-involvement includes behavior which borderlines ignoring the patient which includes avoidance of patients or not exploring or addressing patient problems with sufficient detail. As one may imagine, either one of these instances may be harmful to not only the patient but also the therapeutic integrity of the psychologist. During patient-therapist interaction, it should be the goal of the psychologist to remain in an area between the two extremes of over-involved and under-involved power assertion. Wartenburg (1990) refers to this area as transformative power which focuses upon a sort of partnership with the patient. In patient-therapist relationships that maintain a transformative power relation, the focus is placed upon working with the patient in resolving their problems rather than overtop or in spite of. Everett and Gallop (2001) stated that the goal of transformative power is mutual liberation from dependency (for the client) and from being depended on (for the professional) (p. 124). In essence, this expresses what should be the ultimate goal of the patient-therapist relationship. Another ethical dilemma faced within the psychological profession is divulging information about suspected child abuse or neglect that was obtained during therapy. Lambie (2005) composed a manuscript discussing how this dilemma affects professional school counselors. One would assume that, with legal statutes requiring divulgence, the decision to report instances of suspected abuse would immediately be reported as soon as it is encountered though this is not always the case. In an analysis by Crenshaw, Lichtenberg, and Bartell (1993) the researchers found that, in many instances, helping professionals choose against reporting suspected abuse. Additionally, a study by the Federal National Child Abuse and Neglect Incidence Study found that school personnel only reports a small percentage of suspected abuse cases to Child Protective Services (Sechrist, 2000). Research has found that encountering a suspected case of child abuse is high among the fears of helping professionals (Wilson, Ir eton, Wood, 1997). It has been said that, while professionals are aware of their legal duty to report such cases, procedural uncertainty about how to go about reporting among other things are deterrents (Lambie, 2005). The decision of helping professionals to report suspected abuse is governed by both legal and ethical guidelines. Lambie (2005) discusses how professional ethics are in place to guide professionals throughout their ethical decision making. Within these ethical guidelines is a subgroup of ethics called mandatory ethics. Lambie goes on to discuss how the reporting of suspected child abuse falls under these mandatory ethics which crosses barriers into all disciplines. In 1974, the National Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (PL 93-247) was enacted by Congress which defined child abuse as (42 USCS 5101): Physical or mental injury, sexual abuse or exploitation, negligent treatment, or maltreatment of a child under the age of eighteen or the age specified by the child protection law of the state in question, by a person who is responsible for the childs welfare under circumstances which indicate that the childs health or welfare is harmed or threatened thereby. In addition to this act passed by congress all of the states in the United States have passed statutes that make it illegal for an individual who is aware of an instance of child abuse not to report it (North Carolina General Statutes, 2003). Based upon these laws and statutes, it is not only ethically required that helping professionals report suspected child abuse but failure to do so may also result in legal ramifications as well. The field of psychology provides an important service for those that are having trouble coping with a mental disability or other psychological aspect of their life. As was mentioned earlier those that see a psychologist as a patient are, many times, in a psychologically vulnerable state. This is why it is especially important for those within the field of psychology to follow the ethical guidelines developed for their field as closely as possible. Those that are steadfast in their ethical behavior help to ensure that their patients receive the best treatment possible and reduce the possibility of inflicting any psychological damage upon the patient. Ethical Dilemmas in Criminal Justice Just like in the discipline of psychology, it is also exceptionally important to follow ethical guidelines within the discipline of criminal justice. Those whose profession falls within the discipline of criminal justice find themselves in an authoritative role amongst those around them. This fact puts the individual in a position of having power over others. If the individual is not cautious, this power may be easily exploited. Again, as with psychology, dire consequences may be suffered. In some cases, innocent individuals may be wrongfully accused and convicted while the true guilty party is freed in which case justice is not served. Police officers who stray from ethical behavior risk termination as well as having their reputation tarnished within their community. These facts make it necessary for those in criminal justice, just like those within the field of psychology, to follow strict ethical guidelines as well (See Appendix A). Within this section the manuscript will discuss some of the ethical dilemmas that are encountered within the field of criminal justice. One action that a police officer must inevitably take part in is the use of force. The action of applying force is not unethical in itself though ethics do come into question when the use of force gets to the point of becoming excessive. In any case, excessive force is any force used beyond what is necessary to subdue an assailant. One high profile case through which excessive force by law enforcement was brought to the forefront is the case of Rodney King (Cannon, 1997). During this incident, a video was taken of Los Angeles Police Department officers striking King repeatedly with batons after he was lying on the ground. Unethical behavior, such as was displayed in this case, is not only damaging to the individual performing the action, but it is also damaging to the law enforcement community as a whole. The use of excessive force by an officer of the law may lead to termination and, more than likely, legal repercussions such as restitution, prison time, or both. Actions such as this may also lead to an overall mistrust of the law enforcement community by individuals within the public which in turn may lead to civil unrest. Referring back to the Rodney King case, many years after the fact tensions are still high within the Los Angeles community as a result of the incident as well as the occurrences that followed (Schoch Lin, 2007). This should be a major concern due to the fact that law enforcement, as well as the other professionals within the criminal justice community, are in place to serve and protect the public and are required to be trusted when the time comes to perform their duty. Another ethical behavior that must be practiced within any criminal justice profession, as well as any other profession, is the elimination of prejudice. Prejudice may be presented in many different forms including prejudice by race, gender, social standing, or any other individual criteria. One area of criminal justice in which prejudice is particularly damaging is during jury selection. If a seated jury is introduced into the courtroom with a preconceived prejudice based upon some characteristic of the case, it may, in fact impede upon an individuals right to a fair trial. In most instances, prejudices may cause an individual to draw conclusions about a defendants guilt or innocence before the evidence against the defendant is even presented. There are many sources of prejudice, some of which include media publicity, community involvement, gossip, and rumors (Vidmar, 2002). It is for this reason that jury selection for any given case is, at times, a long a drawn out process. Jury selection is utilized to remove any individuals which may house some of these prejudices, such as family and friends of any individuals involved in the process, or any individuals that have been affected in any way by the type of crime in question. Vidmar (2002) performed several case studies upon court cases and their involvement of pre- and midtrial prejudices a few of which the following paragraphs will summarize. One case that Vidmar (2002) discusses is the case of Regents of the University of California vs. Genentech (1999). The case involved patent infringement on the human growth hormone Protropin. The jurors had been chosen and a date for the trial had been set. Before the trial, defense lawyers had discovered that Genentech had pled guilty in a federal case involving off label promotion of Protropin and had to pay $50 million. Obviously the defense lawyers were concerned that this information, if brought to light to the current jurors, could affect the outcome of the trial. The judge refused to delay the trial but did instruct the jurors to refrain from reading any news articles that involved the company Genentech. During the trial, the jurors were in a waiting room waiting to be called into the trial and one of the jurors brought with them a copy of the Oakland Tribune to read during the wait. When the juror turned to the business section of the paper one of the headlines stated what ha d happened in the previously mentioned case Genentech was involved in. According to reports, there is evidence suggesting that several jurors also observed the same headline. Obviously, in a case such as this, the jury pool had been tainted to a certain degree with prejudice. Another case study discussed by Vidmar (2002) involved the case of R. v. Reynolds (1998). The case dealt with a mother named Louise Reynolds that had been charged with stabbing her 7-year-old daughter 84 times. During this period, a great deal of community hostility had been directed towards her after a memorial poem of her composure had been published within the local newspaper. The defense had presented an alternative means through which Ms. Reynolds daughter could have been killed which involved a pit bull near the crime scene that was found covered in blood. The body of the child was then exhumed and examined by two forensic scientists whose findings strongly supported the alternative means presented by the defense. These results were not published within the local newspaper but were covered in nationally circulated newspapers. In preparation for a motion for a change of venue, Vidmar conducted a survey assessing the level of hostility that still existed towards Ms. Reynolds. Out of the respondents, 75% said that they were capable of giving an unbiased decision towards the case. Of the same group that was surveyed, only 45% stated that a non-guilty verdict would be a satisfactory verdict within this case. This gives the indication that even though evidence had been presented in support of Ms. Reynolds innocence, the hostility that was introduced as a result of the published poem still lingered to a degree within those surveyed prejudicing their decisions. As is evidenced above, ethical behavior is detrimental to the proper transaction of justice. Unethical behavior within the criminal justice community may result in civil unrest, false convictions, or worse. The daily interactions of those within one of the many criminal justice professions provide ample opportunities for abuse of power and dishonesty as well as many other unethical behaviors. Therefore it is vitally important for those within the criminal justice community to be vigilant in their endeavors as well as strive to complete their duties in an ethical manner. Conclusion As one can see both the disciplines of psychology and criminal justice require strict ethical guidelines if they are to be professionally and effectively implemented. Professionals within both disciplines interact on a daily basis with individuals that are within a vulnerable state. The effects of unethical behavior within the confines of these disciplines can be tremendously harmful to both the professional as well as the individual that the professional is interacting with. Professionals within the field of psychology risk losing their practice as well as legal repercussions while the patients that are victim to the unethical behavior risk further damage to their already vulnerable mental state. Professionals within the criminal justice community risk termination, a tarnished reputation, and possibly even legal repercussions as well. The effects of unethical behavior within criminal justice deprive the affected individuals of their right to justice while, in some of the more extrem e cases, may even lead to civil unrest and a deep mistrust for the justice community as a whole. Given these facts, it is obvious the important role that ethics plays in ensuring the effectiveness as well as the professionalism in both the disciplines of psychology and criminal justice.

Monday, August 19, 2019

The Suez Crisis Of 1956 Essay -- Arab-Israeli Conflict History Arabs I

The Suez Crisis of 1956 Introduction   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Among the most important foundations in the continuing Arab-Israeli conflict was the seeds that were sown in the aftermath of the 1956 Sinai Campaign, or the Suez Crisis. Whatever the operation is referred to as, its consequences involving both relations internal to the Middle East and with the world are impossible to ignore. Looked at simply as an objective event in history, one could note several key outcomes of the war. It marked the beginning of the end of British and French colonial leadership in the region, and the start of an increasingly high American and Soviet involvement. The war also proved to the Arab nations of the area that the Israeli military machine was not one to be taken lightly, a lesson which would be forgotten and retaught in the 1967 "Six Day War". The positive impact that the United Nations would have on ending the conflict, through Canada's idea of creating a UN peacekeeping force to help enforce the ceasefire, was another important outcome.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  This paper, however, will not have the goal of examining these specific events in relation to the war, nor will it try to determine which factors were most significant. My aim will be to gain a more complete understanding of the effect of the crisis by reviewing key events of the war from two different perspectives: the Israeli and the Arab points of view, plus the experiences of the European powers as well. Through a brief comparison of both the coverage of the War by the differing authors and the varying interpretations seen throughout my study, I will be best able to make an informed evaluation on how the event was, and is today, seen in the political and historical forum. Comparison of Coverage   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The war, which was begun on October 29, 1956 when the Israelis moved their units into the Sinai peninsula, has had its origins traced back to many historical events. Which is the most important of these is a point of contention for the authors I have studied. There does seem to be for all parties involved a consensus that the ascent to power of Gamal Abdel Nasser to President of Eqypt in 1956 , and his move to nationalize the Suez Canal as the main precipitating factor in setting off the conflict.  Why Nasser did this, however, is where my various sources diverge.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Quite predictably, sources used from... ...tter idea of how the Egyptian army forces viewed and dealt with the crisis. To help in a general rounding of the Israeli view of the crisis, I used Yitzak Shamir's autobiography (Shamir, Yitzhak; "Summing Up"; London; Weidenfeld and Nicolson Press; 1994.), a man who was to play an integral role in the Arab-Israeli conflict as the Prime Minister of Israel in the 1980s. My search for an Israeli military perspective was quite arduous, but finally settled on the work of Chaim Herzog in "The Arab-Israeli Wars" (1982). As Herzog was a major-general in the crisis of 1956, he not only provided me with detailed information of the invasion itself, but of the various meanings and causes behind it. In trying to find Jewish academic sources, I eventually settled on the works of Itamar Rabinovich's "Seven Wars and One Peace Treaty" (1991), and M.E. Yapp's "The Near East Since the First World War" (1991). While Rabinovich was based in Tel Aviv and had stronger pro-Israeli views, Yapp, who was a professor in London, England, who's ideas were a little more moderate and yet, at least in this author's perspective, seemed to lean quite distinctly towards the Jewish State's cause.

Essay on Spiritual Poverty in James Joyces Dubliners -- Dubliners Es

Spiritual Poverty Exposed in The Dubliners  Ã‚   Joyce describes the spiritual poverty of the people of Dublin in the industrial age, with powerful images of mechanized humans and animated machines. In "After the Race" and "Counterparts" he delineates characters with appropriate portraits of human automation. Machines seize human attributes and vitality in opposition to the vacuous citizens of Ireland's capitalist city. Joyce's use of metaphorical language brings to life the despair of his country. In Winesburg, Ohio, Sherwood Anderson writes an allegorical account of the failure of mankind (1919). Although Anderson depicts rural life in the "New World," his understanding of human nature and descriptive terminology provide a valuable framework for examining Joyce's rendition of urban misery in the "Old World." "The Book of the Grotesque," the opening piece of Anderson's short story collection, animates the thoughts of a dying old man: It was his notion that the moment one of the people took one of the truths to himself, called it his truth, and tried to live his life by it, he became a grotesque and the truth he embraced became a falsehood. (24, Penguin Edition). This notion, that belief in a single truth or paradigm distorts people such that they become warped and can no longer function as human, is central to Joyce's characterizations of the Dubliners. Twentieth Century Homo sapiens can be distinguished from machines by their potential to think openly and consider myriad ideas without being paralyzed by a singular absolute. When people clutch an idea and transform it into an ideal, the separation between man and machine becomes blurred. Human automatons mechanically follow the programming of their truth. In "A... ... demands that he find an outlet for his frustration, and he beats his child to slake the strange thirst for violence of an alcoholic. When an individual seizes a single idea or paradigm they loose their humanity and assume the form of a grotesque machine. Joyce's characterizations of mechanical people and animate machines in The Dubliners follow this philosophy as presented by Sherwood Anderson, and reinforce its applicability. Dubliners are anesthetized by their truths and experience a paralysis of their human possibilities. Only dull machinery remains. This machinery is then capable of great inhumanity as it follows the scripture of its truth. Alcoholics can beat children, Capitalists can ravage countries, and Nationalists can fight wars (religious or profane) to exterminate other ethnicities. Works Cited: Joyce, James Dubliners, New York:Penguin, 1993.