Attack Prevention Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Attack Prevention - Essay Example he information in the computer is not secure, this is because it is susceptible to people who hack the software’s and access the information .The ones responsible for hacking the computer today, are believed to have bad intentions of manipulating other peoples information stored in the computer. The core reason for the article is to inform home users on how criminals are on rise to involve them in fraud and data theft with an aim of getting wealth through their criminal activities of hacking other peoples software’s. The article refers from an article that is online from Cyber Media India Online Ltd, that claims that home users are always at high risk due to poor security measures in place and thus become victims at all times. It also suggests on the use of malicious code as a way of attacking desktop software’s and web browsers. The article also offers some techniques on how the home users can put home security measures to curb malicious networks and application dealings (Chou, 2014). The page was written by an organization and the author is unclearly identified and I think the identification of the author to miss is purposeful. The author of the article is affiliated to the organization because he/she has written on the topic related to the aim of the organization which is to inform the public about the criminal acts by the hackers of software’s. The page where the article is written does not give a link that is blank for one to comment or ask questions regarding the article (Chou, 2014) This is a scholarly site and the author is writing towards achieving the goals of the site but not to sell the information. The article tries to inform about various mechanism that can be used as prevention measures to avoid fraud and theft of data. It is very easy to identify a specific point of view in this article. The site targets the scholars and at the same time, the general public. The main objective of the site is to inform and educate both the general public

Technology and Management Functions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Technology and Management Functions - Essay Example Secure Call Management was basically a call center operation prior to acquiring the Image Project. As a call center technology played a huge role as well in the day to day operations. The manager of the call center would utilize satellite image transfer to create virtual meetings with salespeople across national and international boundaries. The wireless internet service the company utilized for its requirements of communication with field employees allow anyone to connect to the internet from any remote location. When the iPhone came out on June 29, 2007 it was suggested that they could replaced the current practice due to its smart phone capabilities, but using a laptop computer was more practical because the iPhone inter phase did not allow for a professional to work efficiently (Timesonline, 2007). When the image project started the team was given an open space. We had to build the infrastructure necessary from scratch. The project manager utilized the designing software, Alibre Cad, to create the facilities layout. The twelve members of the team received a PDA that displayed the design. We had to build 150 small office modules for the workers. It took us approximately four to complete the construction project. Whenever there were any minor design changes the PDA which were connected to the company wi-fi system would enable us to see the changes and change our work specifications accordingly. The next stage of the project was the installation of the computers. The firm bought 200 new dell computers. The project manager showed us a delivery confirmation slip that he retrieved from the UPS website. It said the computers would arrive at 12:10 P.M. on a Sunday. Good news for us it meant we would get paid some good overtime on a Sunday for our work. The computers arrived on time. T he manager was able to accelerate work because he had information he obtained thanks to technological advancements that were not available in the past. We had installed all the

Negative Effects of Childhood Obesity

Negative Effects of Childhood Obesity Stella Badalyants Abstract The purpose of this research paper is to inform about negative effects of childhood obesity. Children’s choices in foods are largely influenced by media and commercial advertising. Obesity has become a growing health concern at a very young age. Cultural differences including national history showed to have an effect on weight in children. Overweight children not only suffer from serious physical health issues but also with psychological problems brought on by teasing in school. Other factors like race, family background and age showed to make a difference in body weight. Parental supervision is important to prevent this growing desease, including television monitoring and consumption of foods high in sugar and fats. Childhood obesity has been one of the most serious medical health conditions for both children and adolescents. It occurs when a BMI or body mass index is 20 percent greater than normal which is when a child is above the normal weight to height ratio. In the past several decades a spike in overweight and obese children occurred in Western nations. Countries like Canada, Germany, Israel, Greece, Ireland and New Zealand have all become victims to this disease. With U.S. leading the way at 32 percent of overweight children and 17 percent of whom are obese (Berk, 2012, p.417). In 1995, health-care costs associated with excess weight were $51.6 billion or 5.7 % of the total U.S. health care expenses. Also, excess weight decreases productivity and leads to loss of work time (Peralta-Alva, et al., 2005).Childhood obesity has even spread to China, where 20 percent of children are overweight and 7 percent are obese, a percentage that was almost none existent one generation prior to this gener ation. In high populated cities obesity in children rose to 10 percent. Additionally, a Chinese culture belief that extra body weight shows prosperity and health has contributed to an alarming number of growth in obesity. It was carried over from centuries ago when famine caused numerous amounts of deaths. Childhood obesity also paves the way for future health problems as adults such as diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol, not to mention emotional and social difficulties. Obesity can also lead to poor self-esteem and depression; as well as a leading factor to severe complications including stroke, kidney failure, and circulatory problems that heighten the risk of blindness and amputations. Many psychologists also believe that weight bias can be contributing to obesity. Children who are overweight or obese tend to be vulnerable to negative comments and more prone to being victims of bulling. Classmates are common critics of obese children, and school is usually the setting where weight-based teasing and victimization happens. Psychologists also have done studies which showed that negative opinions about overweight children begin as early as age 3 to 5 in the preschool age. Preschoolers consider their overweight peers are mean and less wanted playmates compared to non-overweight children. When poled for their opinion, many children viewed over weight kids as stupid, ugly, lazy and have little to no friends. The children are then poled again at elementary school age and their opinions only get worse with reports that obese peers are selfish, dishonest, socially isolated, and are prone to teasing. The issue has become so common that research now informs us that based on a child’s weight we can predict if they will be victims of bulling due to their weight. (Griffiths, Wolke, Page, Horwood, 2006). Preconception of overweight children can damage the psychological state and increase exposure to depression, anxiety, low self-esteem and poor body image. Consequently, obese youth that are being victimized by their classmates are more likely to have suicidal thoughts than those overweight students who are not bullied. Also, having to deal with humiliation about weight only increases the possibility of participating in unhealthy eating habits as well as lower levels of physical activity. Recent research has found that gilt of being overweight is associated with greater calorie intake, lower energy outflow, and over all less weight loss in adults seeking weight loss treatment (Carels et al., 2009). Obesity has been influenced by many factors, especially those in demographic and social-economic nature. Agricultural efficiency improvements have taken place due to decrease in trade barriers which has led to lower service prices. Fast-food chains are all offering fries, burgers and soft drinks at low costs. U.S. has spent $7.3 billion in advertisement for food in 1999, $765 million of that was spent on advertising gum and candy. Advertisement for soft drinks were at $549 million and snacks were at a somewhat low of $330 million (Story et al., 2004). High fructose corn syrup has been linked to childhood obesity in many studies. The fact that soft drinks are pumped full of high fructose corn syrup only adds to the problem. Innovations in technology have been a blessing and a curse, on one hand efficiency and productivity has increased in jobs that require labor, however those same labor saving gadgets decrease the amount of effort put into the job, therefore decreasing the amount of calorie burn per activity. Technology such as television, computers and dishwashers have all been created to save time and provide entertainment, but overuse of these tools has led to a much more serious issue. Biking and walking among Americans has decreased drastically, on the other hand, driving has increased as a source for transportation. Even short trips to the store or park have been largely dominated by vehicle transportation. Children have started losing a large amount of exercise time due to increased time spent playing video games and watching television. Cooking and preparing food has become substantially easier, this has led to more meal consumption among Americans, which is another major reason for increased weight in both children and adults. The average American home had 0% microwave ovens in the 1960’s, today over 80% of households owns one (US DOE, 2006). Patterns of food consumption have changed all together, people are now consuming more carbohydrates and fats than ever before. Ownership of television sets have also increased from as low as 10% in the 1950’s to nearly 100% today (Nielson Media Research, 1995). Which of course led to increase in time spent watching T.V. Many studies in the past have calculated endless data on changes of eating habits, level of activity and income changes in U.S. However a study by Tangel Chang, James M. Barrett and Stephen A. Vosti tests the importance of each factor in the rise of body weight. Although the study is not limited to only children, the results are certainly eye opening to future consequences. Factors such as gender, ethnic background and family income are all associated with weight. Studies show that some groups are at a greater risk of becoming overweight than others. Those include women, children, non-whites, those who are not college graduates and the lower class (Chang, Barrett, Vosti, 2006, p. 14). In addition, being born in the U.S. did not have the same effect on weight and waist size as it did on body mass index (BMI). This shows that those born in the U.S. have a higher BMI but not physical height. There are a number of areas that need to be emphasized to reverse the problem. Watching televis ion and engaging in other seated activities, such as playing video games, have proven to be an issue. There has also been a correlation between abdominal obesity, like waist circumference, waist to hip ratio, waist to height ratio, and serious risk factors among children like type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease develop as they reach adulthood (Freedman et al., 0, p.38). Another detailed study held from 2011 to 2012 had similar results. Participating in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey study were 9120 people who were measured in weight and height. About half of the group, 5181 people, were adults age 20 or above, 584 were infants and toddlers. The result revealed that 31.8 percent of children were overweight, of which 16.9 percent were obese. There was no difference in obesity occurrence between boys and girls in 2011 to 2012. However there were race and age differences. Non- Hispanic white, non-Hispanic black and Hispanic youth all had a higher probability of obesity than non-Hispanic Asian youth. Also non-Hispanic white youth had lower obesity frequency than non-Hispanic black and Hispanic youth. Over 8 percent of 2 to 5 year olds were obese as compared to 17.7 percent of 6 to 11 year olds and 20.5 percent of 12 to 19 year old youth. Additionally, there were 13.9 percent of teenagers age 12 to 19 with a BMI of greater than or eq ual to 30, which meets the definition of obesity in adults (Ogden, PhD, Carroll, MSPH, Kit, MD, Flegal, PhD, 2014, p.3-4). Food choices that children make have largely been influenced by the media, with television advertising targeting infants and toddlers. Many studies have focused on explaining how advertisement of fast foods, sugary snacks and many other foods with high amounts of fat, sodium and sugar are contributing to childhood obesity. Due to the high amount of hours children spend watching television, children are highly exposed to the growing number of food advertisements, which lead to unhealthy food choices. To add to the issue there is less physical activity as most of their free time is spent watching television. Extensive research has proven that time spent watching television and obesity have a direct correlation. Obesity is increased by 2 percent for every extra hour spent watching television, children that spend more than four to five hours watching television are at a higher rate of obesity than those who only watch two or less hours. (Arnas, 2006). As the appeal to children grow in fo od advertising, so do the requests by children for those advertised foods, as do the actual purchases of those foods by the parents. A fact that also seems to be overlooked is that children now have televisions in their rooms, as high as thirty percent of children age 0 to 3 and 43 percent of children 4 to 6 years of age (Connor, 2005). It is a significant factor in the likelihood of overweight children. The nutritional value of major advertised foods for children are nowhere near the recommended dietary guidelines. Parents and pediatricians seem to overlook the advertising message children are exposed to on a daily basis. The market teams behind these advertisements design them to intentionally influence children’s preference and consumption in foods. Dr. Susan Connor conducted an eye opening study on the most popular channels watched by children. In her research results, Disney Chanel had the least amount of advertisements, totaling 26 for the 5 hours that it was recorded. Of those, 17 were Disney products and 9 were of McDonald’s. PBS led second with a total of 65 advertisements, of which 39 were focused on fast food. The highest of the three was Nickelodeon, having 283 advertisements in the 5 hours, of which 41% were of fast foods such as McDonald’s, Wendy’s and Chuck E. Cheese. Additionally, 41 percent was used to advertise sugary cereal, 14 percent went for snacks and 4 percent to frozen treats (Connors, 2005). A large amount of fun, excitement, bright colors and actions are incorporated into children’s advertisements. Snack food advertisements are promoted as cool, uniquely shaped, brightly colored and yummy tasting. Fast food advertisements use the appeal of the latest toys as a selling point. Overall, the actions and the energy of children featured in the commercials are laughing, giggling, playing, high energy, excitement and activity. Based on the social cognitive theory, children learn to model their behaviors on what is shown by the media, including the models in their present social environment (Dixon et al, 2007). As presented by the social cognitive theory, it is expected for children that are exposed to certain patterns of eating habits modeled on television are to adopt them as their own. Positive association towards junk food as advertised on television, such as the perception that those foods are consumed by other children their age, reported to have increased the consumption of such junk food (Dixon et al., 2007). Same concept applies to advertisements of nutritious foods, positive association to healthy, nutritious alternatives can increase appeal to children. Increasing the frequency of healthy food advertisements versus fast food commercial can also promote a healthier option when faced with opposite choices. Encouraging an active lifestyle has shown to improve weight numbers. Tendency of obesity seems to lean towards women and children, so programs that encourage movement and exercise instead of television and video games are especially valuable. Those who struggle with being overweight can take on activities that emphasize muscle building, which showed to be very beneficial towards weight loss. Previous diet results showed that based on total caloric intake, it is more important to watch how much each type of food is being eaten rather than focus on the whole level of intake. Areas to focus on would be sugar and fat. A variety filled diet of fruits, vegetables, healthy carbohydrates and proteins is a good habit to develop. Children and women are especially prone to obesity, so encouragement in eating healthier foods are especially beneficial to preventing the development of the disease. It was also found that it becomes increasingly difficult to lose weight as we age, so starting health y eating habits at an early age can help continue the healthy lifestyle into adulthood, therefore preventing the development of obesity. Best treatment for obesity currently available are multi-layered lifestyle changes that focus on dietary interventions and promotions of physical activity. Furthermore, involvement of family members is a key feature of effective interventions, especially in cases of multifaceted interventions where trained experts in disciplinary teams are needed. The intensity of such an intervention should depend on the degree of obesity as well as the child’s age. In addition, parents should be sure to take their children to routine pediatric visits, during every visit a health care professional measures the weight and height of the child and assess for any unnecessary weight gain based on height. The doctor should also take into account any factors, like the child’s rate of weight gain and parents’ weight status. Health care professionals such as pediatricians and primary care doctors are viewed by parents as authorities of their child’s health. Therefore it is their p rofessional duty to make parents aware of their child’s excess weight early to allow time for prevention and intervention. Children who consume a variety of high nutrient rich foods such as fruits, vegetables, low-fat or nonfat dairy products, and whole grains are less likely to be overweight and obese. Child care facilities should provide meals that are high in nutrient content so as to be consistent with the healthy diet the parents have set at home, as well as ensuring that children have access to healthy foods and portions appropriate for their age. Government agencies should put high efforts into affordable nutritional meals for families in local communities, by making the most of their participation in the federal nutrition assistance programs. The federal government should also set up nutritional guidelines for children under two years of age, as it is important to start good habits at a very young age. Parents should monitor how much time a child spends per day watching television, versus how many hours they spend doing outdoor physical activities. Parents and childcare providers should also focu s on promoting healthy sleep schedules, evidence suggests that short duration of sleep is a risk factor for obesity. Yet another reason why parents need to limit television and video games, especially at night. References Arnas, Yasare. The effects of television food advertisement on children’s food purchasing requests. Pediatrics International. 2006; 48, 138-145. Carels, R.A., Young, K.M., Wott, C.B., Harper, J., Gumble, A., Oehlof, M.W., Clayton, A.M. (2009). Weight bias and weight loss treatment outcomes in treatment-seeking adults. Annals of Behavioral Medicine, 37, 350-355. Chang, T., Barrett, J. M., Vosti, S. A. (2006). The Physical, Social, and Cultural Determinants of Obesity: An Empirical Study of the U.S. Connor, Susan, PhD. Food-related advertising on preschool television: Buidling brand recognition in young viewers. Pediatrics. 2005; 118, 1478-1485. Freedman, D. S., Kahn, H. S., Mei, Z., Grummer-Strawn, L. M., Dietz, W. H., Srinivasan, S. R., Berenson, G. S. (0). Relation of body mass index and waist-to-height ratio to cardiovascular disease risk factors in children and adolescents: the Bogalusa Heart Study1-4. Griffiths, L.J., Wolke, D., Page, A.S., Horwood, J.P. (2006). Obesity and bullying: different effects for boys and girls. Archives of Disease in Childhood, 91, 121-125. Nielson Media Research, 1995 Ogden, PhD, C. L., Carroll, MSPH, M. D., Kit, MD, B. K., Flegal, PhD, K. M. (2014). Prevalence of Childhood and Adult Obesity in the United States, 2011-2012 Cynthia L. Ogden, PhD; Margaret D. Carroll, MSPH; Brian K. Kit,MD, MPH; Katherine, 311(8), 3-4. Peralta AA Pere Gomis, P, The macroeconomics of obesity in the United States, Macroeconomics 0503014, Economics WPA, revised 28 Mar 2005 Story, M and French, S, â€Å"Food Advertising and Marketing Directed at Children and Adolescents in the US, Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act., 2004; 1:3. U.S. Department of Energy http://www.energy.gov/ Berk,L.E. (2012). Chapter 11. In Infants and children: Prenatal through middle childhood (p.417). Boston: Pearson Allyn Bacon.

Two Faces in Hawthornes The Scarlet Letter Essay -- Scarlet Letter e

The Scarlet Letter:   Two Faces  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   "No man, for any considerable period, can wear one face to himself and another to the multitude without finally becoming bewildered as to which may be true†. In Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter, this quote applies to the two main characters of the novel. It applies to Arthur Dimmesdale in a literal way; he clearly is not the man that he appears to be, and the guilt that goes along with such deception consumes his entire life. The quote also applies to Hester Prynne, but in quite a different way because it was not her choice to wear the â€Å"face† that she was forced to wear.   The mark of the scarlet letter on her bosom determined how others perceived her and, in turn, how she was expected to perceive herself. At first, Hester did not consider the sin that she committed as blasphemous and horrible as the people of Boston did, but she was forced to wear the â€Å"face† of a sinner. Neither Hester or Arthur could live their lives concealing their true emotions. Arthur literally could not live with it, while Hester changed the way she felt on the inside to correspond to her guilty external image. At the court house, when Arthur Dimmesdale was pleading for Hester to reveal the name of the man with whom she had an affair, it was clear that a part of him actually wanted everyone to know that it was he who was the guilty one. Be not silent from any mistaken pity and tenderness for him; for, believe me, Hester, though he were to step down from a high place...better were it so, than to hide a guilty heart through life†¦(47). When this plea is made, it appears to be quite ironic. The man who participated in the sin is trying to convince his accomplice to do him in. However, this ... ...t with the sin in a completely different way not only because she was a different person, but because there was no additional weight of a secret that went along with the sin. Instead of trying to figure out her identity, the way Arthur had, and clinging onto the belief that what she had done was not a sin, she allowed herself to surrender and believe what the rest of society believed at that time. The people of Boston saw adultery as a sin, and there was no way that any good or love could come out of it. When Arthur's character is tested, he struggles to find the answer but is unable to, and literally dies trying. Hester, on the other hand, does not give such a noble attempt, but rather chooses, whether consciously or not, to go along with society’s views of adultery. Works Cited: Hawthorne, Nathaniel. The Scarlet Letter. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1998.

Exams Are a Necessary Evil Essay

Exams! Exams! Exams! Exams are the dreaded word that plagues you during student life. As an adult who is done and dusted with this nightmare, you may look back more often than once wondering if all that stress and trauma was after all worth the while. For starters let’s take a step back and analyze what skills one is expected to acquire during the course of education. Well the skills that are used in everyday life, the skills that allow one to get a job and succeed in their field of choice are surely the skills that one should acquire in the formative years. In this case logic, analytical ability, memory, communication skills and interpersonal skills will probably top the list of most people. Of course there is also the actual knowledge which needs to be tested! What skills do exams test? Now though exams are a mode of testing, the manner in which the test is administered can decide what skills are actually tested. The regular ones requiring long winded answers test your memory and perseverance coz surely you must work hard to cram all that stuff into your head and then retain them long time to put them down on paper. In the more objective format of exams, it can be argued that logic and analytical ability is tested. Upside of exams Structure is probably the biggest upside of exams. When you know you have exams around the corner you make a serious attempt to actually stop fooling around and make good use of your time to actually study. They help you deliver results under pressure. Memory is certainly sharpened and they can also make you very competitive. This is arguably a great virtue in today’s world. Downside of exams You forget what you cram and write. Then why bother! This is the age old argument which works against exams. The wise are known to argue that education must cause a student to think, become inquisitive and have an unquenchable thirst to seek knowledge. It is well known that the human brain has an expiry dated storage space for information and hence pundits believe that we need to create an ambience where we nurture genuine students of  knowledge who are passionate about learning. Exam centricity takes away the joy of learning since it is a closed approach; not many excel in the format though they may be inherently very intelligent and it also does not nurture passion of learning but actually serves to detract from that stated objective. Also there are those scores of cases which point at psychological and physical trauma such as illness and depression owing to unwarranted stress levels. Man evolves with time and so will the educational system and the methodology of testing. While in the short to midterm, exams are here to stay, there may be a day when a bold patriarch chooses to shun this process and allow students to flourish in a non-threatening environment which sustains the process of natural learning. There are already a few examples of such forms in modern day society and it will not be surprising that these voices gather momentum with the years to come!

The Clashing of Wills

Conflict between generations is a common them to many novels. In the novel†Bread Givers†, by Anzia Yezierksa, the clashing of wills of two generations is one major theme. We see clashes through culture, generations, community, religion,generations, and many others. The most prominent clash of wills is that of the protagonist Sara with her father Moisha or Reb Smolinsky. Some may say that these two characters clash because of their differences. Others might say that it their similarities that cause the clash between them both. It seems that it is a combination of their similarities and their differences that cause their clash and, in fact, binds them closer than At the beginning of the novel we learn that Sara†s father has nick named her blood and iron recognizing the fact that she has a strong will. It is Sara†s strong will that causes the most of the conflict with her and her father. Sara gets her strong will and drive from her father. She is not like her sisters who follow the cultural expectations of early marriage, but she, instead, has greater ambition for her life. Sara plans to get an education which is not in her fathers plan for her life. Reb wants Sara to marry like her other sisters, and live a â€Å"holy† life according to the Torah. Sara†s will to educate herself, and Reb†s will to have Sara married is what causes the conflict in their relationship. Like Sara†s blood and iron will, Reb also is driven for his daughters to live their life according to the Torah. It is the strong will of these two characters that cause their connection. While Reb is bound to the laws and traditions of the Torah, Sara is bound to the drive to be educated or make herself a better, more successful person. One incident that exemplifies the strong will of both these characters is found at the beginning of the novel. The rent collector for the landlord comes to the apartment to collect rent, but Reb does not have the money. The two argue and Reb finally hits the collector, who is Jewish, and shouts, â€Å"I†ll teach you respect for the Holy Torah† (p. 18). Reb is then taken off to jail for assault. Then Sara decides since none of her sisters are bringing in enough money, that she would go out and make some. She buys a some fish for twenty five cents and then hit the street to sell them for double what she paid. We see by this that Reb has an iron will when in comes to his religion and the Torah, while Sara has a will to make herself a better and successful person. He strives for religious perfection while Sara strives Sara follows the orders of her father until she reaches her breaking point in the unsuccessful business he buys. Sara walks out on her mother and father, leaving behind all connections to her old life. This is her chance to start out in the world to attain her goal. This is a difficult thing for a girl to do in that time and place. She would face many bumps on her road, the greatest being resisting the old world that her family is bound to. While her sisters question her actions, they praise her for getting away from their father. Her sister Bessies says, â€Å"Thank God you had the courage to break away† (p 142). Bessie is praising her for not letting her father marry her off as he did her and his other two daughters. A long time after leaving the home Reb goes to visit Sara in her small apartment. The sight of her father is something she had longed for so she was happy to see him. She thought he would understand her because, as she says, â€Å"He had given up worldly success to drink the wisdom of the Torah† (p. 202). When in fact he came to chastise her for not accepting a marriage proposal. He feels this is her only chance to live a holy life and get into heaven. After her continued refusal and argument with her father Reb responds with, â€Å"I disown you. I curse you. May your name and your memory be blotted out of this earth† (p. 208). Sara had hoped for recognition, and even identification with her sacrifice while her father came only to shun her sacrifice. Her lifestyle, although much like his, was against his religious beliefs. This is a point were we see how the similarities between the two is what is breaking them apart. Sara says to her father, â€Å"All my selfishness is from you† (p. 206). Just like her father, Sara had given up her life to attain success through an education, but it is the education of her father that divides them. Reb sacrificed and educated himself in the Torah that tells him that a women is to be in the home. Sara is also sacrificing but, to her father, her sacrifice in sacrilege to their religion. Sara has an overwhelming will to educate herself in order to make herself a person. She sacrifices just about everything in her life in order to attain her goal of becoming a school teacher. She is willing to live alone, work and starve herself nearly to death, and give up all things other girls her age covet like going out on dates or wearing make-up. She address the sacrifice she makes within herself to her college dean, Sara says, â€Å"Why is it that when a nobody wants to get to be somebody she†s got to make herself terribly hard, when people like you who are born high up can keep all their kind feelings and get along so naturally well with everybody?†, (p. 231). Sara know that she had to become somebody else in order to attain her goal. She sees that she has to become â€Å"hard† in order to be a success. We see also in Reb a sacrifice. He has to sacrifice a life of frivolous living. He has dedicated himself to his religion, as Sara has dedicated herself to education. He acknowledges the fact that he has an obligation to live a model life. Some may say he was selfish in his dedication. This selfishness may be true but it was a selfishness that took a lot of dedication. Most could never live their lives to the letter of any law. Reb lived his life as a living example of what the Torah intended life to be. Whether we agree with it or not, his dedication is to be commended. We see that Sara and her father share many traits. They are both selfish to the cause of their own education. They both hold an intense dedication to what they set their minds to. So much so that it exceeds their need for anything else. They also have an intense connection to the tools of their dedication, in other words, their books. After Sara turns down a suitor she says, â€Å"I seized my books and hugged them to my breast as thought they were living things.† (p. 201). Reb also shows his connection to his books in dedicating a room in the small apartment just for them. Imagine, this family is crammed into a tiny apartment without room for light even, and he dedicates a room entirely to his books. We see that they both have a connection to learning that is stronger than any other. We see that the greatest divide in Sara and Reb†s relation as a reflection of the expected gender roles. Reb†s religious belief says that a women†s place is in the home and that being unmarried is sinful. A complete women to Reb is a married one while to Sara a complete women is an educated on. Reb wanted Sara married over anything else, while Sara wanted her education over anything else. They both had their own best interest at hear. Reb wanted his daughter to marry to secure a place in heaven, and Sara wanted an education to secure her place in the world. It is towards the end of the novel that we see how Sara and her father are so closely related. It is maybe at this time that Sara sees the connection as well. She comes to see how her father, like herself, had to make himself hard in order to obtain his goal of religious perfection. She says of her father, â€Å"In a world where all is changed, he alone remained unchanged-as tragically isolated as the rocks† (p. 296). She now sees how her father had to isolate and make himself hard in order to be the man he is. Sara sees that through education she is a person, and now sees that for her father to be a person he had to be the religious person. They say that opposites attract and we must, therefore, assume that likes repel. I think this is what we see with Sara and her father. They are essentially the same yet there outlook on life is different. They share a similar drive it is just their ideals that are different. Sara acknowledges that her connection would be there for the rest of their lives in the last passage of the book. She says, â€Å"I felt the shadow still there over me. It wasn†t just my father, but the generations who made my father whose weight was still upon me† (p. 297). Sara realizes that she is who she is because of her father, and he is the way he is because those who came before him. It is the burden we all bare with our families. We argue because we are so connected, and are essentially cut from the same cloth. Maybe this is why similar poles repel, it is because we see in our reflection what we don†t like in the reflection.

The Complete Guide to AP Environmental Science FRQs

The Complete Guide to AP Environmental Science FRQs SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips AP Environmental Science is one of the most popular AP classes, but it has the lowest average score among test takers. In fact, more than half of students who take the exam don’t pass it.Oftentimes, the hardest part of the exam is the free-response section which students struggle with because they aren’t sure what to expect or what information graders are looking for.Fortunately, this guide can help. I’ll go over each type of AP Environmental Science FRQ, give sample problems and explanations, and end with tips you should follow in order to get your best score. What’s the Format of the AP Environmental Science Free-Response Section? On the day of the AP exam, your test will have two sections. First, you will have 90 minutes to answer 100 multiple-choice questions, then you’ll move onto the free-response section. Here's the format of the free-response section: 90 minutes total No calculator allowed Includes four questions: 1 document-based question The document-based question will give you a document or an excerpt from a document and ask you questions based on information it contains. The document can be a newspaper article, brochure, or something similar. 1 data set question This question will include data you must analyze and interpret. The data may be in a table, graph, chart, or stated within the question. Parts of the question will require calculations; parts will not. 2 synthesis and evaluation questions These are similar to the document-based question, except they won’t include outside documents. They sometimes include graphs or tables, however, you won’t be expected to do calculations for these types of questions. The free-response section is worth a total of 40% of your score. Most questions are worth 9-11 points, but each question is weighted equally, so each of the four questions will be worth 10% of your final score. In the free-responsesection, you’re expected to show reasoning and analytical skills, as well as the ability to synthesize information from multiple sources into coherent essays. AP Environmental Science FRQExamples Below are each of the three types of free-response questions you’ll see on the AP exam. For each question, I’ll go through the answer step-by-step so you can see how points are earned. Document-Based Question You’ll know the document-based question because it is typically the first question asked and it’ll have that â€Å"torn piece of paper† graphic you see above.Fortunately, compared to many other AP tests, the documents on AP Enviro exams tend to be quite short and there’s only one, so you should be able to read through it quickly.In this case, it looks like the document is part of an article from the Fremont Examiner that was printed in May 2013. Part A: Part A is worth four points: You’ll earn a point for each of the two activities you list and a point for each of the two explanations you give on how the activity alters sediment flow. In order to earn the full four points, the two activities must be reasonable human activities that can alter natural sediment flow, and your explanations must accurately explain how each activity would change the flow of sediment. There are a lot of different answers you could put; here’s a sample answer: Activity 1: Building Dams. Effect on flow of sediments: Building dams could block the flow of sediments from upstream, which would then decrease the sediment downstream of the dam and potentially starve the coast of nutrients. Building dams can also prevent flooding that would allow sediment to be deposited on the floodplain as well as decrease increase flow velocity which can increase erosion downstream. Activity 2: Water Extraction. Effect on flow of sediments: Overuse or over pumping of water can reduce river flows, which in turn decreases the sediment load to the Gulf. Note that you don’t have to write complete paragraphs for every question. It’s enough to clearly label the different parts of your answer and give a thorough explanation. Part B: Part B is worth two points, one point for each description. (Be aware that they’re asking for ecological impacts, not economic impacts). A potential answer could be: 1. Loss of coastal habitats that certain plant and animal species need to survive 2. Increased flooding of coastal wetlands due to the loss of beaches and barrier islands For this answer, you don’t even need to give complete sentences. For the free-response section, don’t add a lot of fluff to your answers thinking it’ll raise your score. Graders are looking for specific points, and the easier you make it to find your answers, the easier they’ll be able to award you points. Part C: Part C has three different parts within it; let’s break them down one by one. (i)This part is worth two points, and you get them just by listing two environmental impacts fertilizer has on the Gulf of Mexico’s marine ecosystem.Potential answer: Increased algae growth and lower dissolved oxygen (ii)This is almost the same as the above question, except now you’re listing economic instead of environmental impacts.Potential answer: decreased property values and increased seafood prices due to lower seafood supply. (iii)For the final part of this question, worth one point, you have to give a strategy to reduce the flow of nutrients into the Mississippi River (besides reducing fertilizer).Potential answer: Add green roofs to reduce runoff. As you’ve probably noticed, document-based questions are pretty straightforward and can usually be answered in a few words or a sentence or two. The key is to pay attention to exactly what the question is asking, going into enough depth to completely answer the question, and making it easy for graders to find each of your answers to the different parts of the question. Make it easy for the graders to find your answers. Data Set Question This is when you'll need to do some calculations. As a reminder, no calculator is allowed on this exam. The good news is that this means that the calculations you’ll need to complete will likely be much simpler than those of other AP science exams. Typically, you’ll only need to complete simple algebraic expressions to solve the problem. Part A: For the first part of this question, worth two points, you don’t need to do any calculations; you just need to list two pollutants that fit the description in the question. Examples: fertilizers, animal feces, pesticides, gasoline, road salts, etc. Part B: Here’s where you’ll complete your first calculation. You can earn one point for correctly setting up the question (so be sure to show your work!) and one point for the correct answer. This is a basic volume question. To answer it, you’ll need to know that the volume of a rectangular solid (which is roughly the shape of most parking lots) is length * width * height. From the question, we know that length= 200m and width=100m, and since we’re calculating based on a 5cm rainfall, width = 5cm. However, these measurements don’t all have the same unit! Before we calculate volume, we have to convert 5cm to meters. 5cm * (1m/100cm)= 0.05m Since there are 100 cm in a meter, this is a pretty simple calculation, but don’t be tempted to skip it and just writedown .05m. Be sure to show your work! If you don’t, you won’t get the maximum number of points. Now that we have all the pieces of info we need, with the correct units, we can plug those numbers into the volume equation: V= 200m * 100m * .05m = $\1000m^{3}$ Part C: You’ll need to complete another volume calculation for this part. This question wants to know the volume of runoff for the entire community, not just the parking lot. As in Part B, this question is also worth two points, one for correctly setting up the question and one for giving the correct answer. We’ll still use our handy V=lwh equation to find the volume of a rectangular solid. We know that the area of Fremont (so length * width) is $\10km^{2}$ , which we’ll need to convert to $\m^{2}$ $\10km^{2}$ * ($\1,000,000m^{2}$/1 $\km^{2}$) = $\10,000,000m^{2}$ We know that height is still .05m, based on part B, so now we can plug our numbers into the volume equation. V = $\10,000,000m^{2}$ * .05m = $\500,000m^{3}$ But, we’re not done yet! Remember, only 20% is covered by impervious surfaces, which we are told to assume are the only areas that generate runoff.So, first, we have to figure out the area of impervious surfaces in Fremont. This just involves finding 20% of Fremont’s total volume: $\500,000m^{3}$ * 0.2= $\100,000m^{3}$ Part D: Part D is worth one point, and, to get that point, you have to give the correct answer with your work shown.This is another question about volumes, but you don’t need to calculate any volumes this time, you just have to do some simple addition and subtraction. Since the treatment plant can treat up to $\10,000m^{3}$ of sewage and storm water a day, and it receives $\5,000m^{3}$ of sewage daily, the runoff that bypasses the plant is the amount of total runoff plus the $\5,000m^{3}$ of regular sewage minus the $\10,000m^{3}$ that would get treated. Runoff that bypasses the plant = Total runoff + $\5,000m^{3}$ - $\10,000m^{3}$ We calculated runoff from the parking lot and the community in part c ($\100,000m^{3}$), so we just need to plug that value in. Runoff that bypasses the plant = $\100,000m^{3}$ + $\5,000m^{3}$ - $\10,000m^{3}$ = $\95,000m^{3}$ Part E: Possible answers: Create wetlands to absorb storm water Install rain barrels and cisterns to collect storm water Install green roofs or rooftop gardens to use storm water Part F: To earn part F’s one point, you must give an environmental problem that occurs when there are extensive paved areas. Possible answers: Erosion caused by flooding or excess runoff Habitat destruction caused by the removal of vegetation Hopefully this sewer is better-prepared for storm water than Fremont's sewer system is. Synthesis and Evaluation Question As a reminder, there are two synthesis and evaluation questions on each AP exam. Here's an example of one: Part A: You can earn up to two points, one for each characteristic. Possible answers:Complex food webs, greater genetic diversity, large number of different species Part B: Part B is worth four points, one point for each activity you provide (up to two) and one point for correctly explaining how each activity results in a loss of biodiversity. Note that you’ll have to use your answers forthis part to come up with your answer for part C, so you may want to take that into account when you’re thinking about which activities to list. This is part of the reason why skimming through the entire question before you begin answering can be very helpful! Possible answers: Activity 1: Logging/deforestation. Explanation: Reduces habitat for many species and causes habitat fragmentation. Activity 2: Introduction of invasive species. Explanation: Displaces native species. Part C: Here you can earn two points, one for each reasonable solution you give for the activities you listed in part b. Possible answers: Activity 1: Logging/deforestation. Solution: Replant trees; engage in selective cutting. Activity 2: Introduction of invasive species. Solution: Create checkpoints for agricultural inspections; create stricter laws on the import of exotic species. Part D: To earn the one point for part D, you need to correctly describe a naturally occurring factor that could lead to a loss of biodiversity. Possible answers: Wildfires can wipe out small populations Hurricanes/tsunamis can destroy estuaries and coastal ecosystems Droughts can cause some species to lose their food sources Part E: Part E is worth two points, one for each ecological benefit you list. Possible answers: Greater control of pest species Water filtration by intact ecosystems More source material for evolution Here's a pest you'd probably like to control. Tips for Solving AP Enviro Free-Response Questions The AP Environmental Science FRQs often trip students up, and, for most questions, the average score is 30-40%. Below are some tips you should keep in mind while studying as well as when you’re taking the test to help you improve your chances of scoring well on this section. 1. Figure OutHow Long You Want to Spend on Each Question Before You Begin You will have 90 minutes to complete the entire free-response section, which gives you about 22 minutes per question.However, you don’t need to spend exactly the same amount of time on each question. In fact, you can divide your time between the four essays any way you want. Some people spend longer on the data set question due to the calculations involved, while others find that the quickest question and take longer to answer questions that require complete sentences or paragraphs.You may spend 15 minutes on one question and close to a half-hour on another. The best way to learn which questions take you longer is to complete a lot of practice problems, which we’ll discuss in the next section. Once you’re comfortable with each type of free-response question, you can go into exam day knowing about how long you want to spend on each question. Also, you absolutely don’t have to answer the questions in order. When you start the section, give them a quick look-through and decide which one you’d like to answer first. A lot of people choose to start with the question they are most confident with so that they’ll (hopefully) have extra time at the end for questions they find trickier. 2. Be Comfortable Solving Equations Without a Calculator AP Environmental Science is the only AP science exam where you cannot use a calculator for the free-response section, which includes the data set question.As you saw above, none of the calculations you’ll need to do are particularly tricky, but if you’re slow at mental math, you could waste a lot of time you’ll need to complete the three other questions in this section. Once again, the best way to prepare for this is to practice. Complete plenty of data set practice problems without a calculator so that you get used to quickly doing math by hand.You don’t want all your hand-earned knowledge to be wasted come test day when you find yourself struggling to solve equations. 3. Keep Your Units Straight My final tip also applies primarily to the data set question. As you saw in the sampleproblem, questions often includemultiple types of units. The sample problem had centimeters, meters, and kilometers.Making a careless error and reading â€Å"5cm† as â€Å"5m† will cost you points on the exam. When you take the test, be sure to pay attention to every unit that you see. Circle or underline the units if you have to in order to make them stand out.Also, you should be a pro at converting between units. You don’t want to waste time trying to remember how many meters are in a kilometer; it should be something you know off the top of your head. Now, even after you’ve become a unit expert, don’t forget to show your work when you convert from one unit to the next. Even if the process of going from meters to kilometers seems ridiculously obvious to you and doesn’t seem like it warrants being written out, do it anyway! Typically, half the points you earn on calculation problems are from showing your work, so don’t let a bit of laziness lower your score. How to Practice Free-Response Questions After reading this far, you now know all the basics of the AP Environmental Science free-response section.However, the way to really conquer the test and get a high score is to become an expert! How can you do that? The best way is to complete lots of practice problems. On their website, the College Board has links to all the previously given free-response questions for exams from 1999-2015.That means you have dozens of official free-response questions to look over and practice.Because there are so many free-response problems, you can begin completing practice problems a few months into your class (say around November) and continuing up until the AP exam. At the beginning of the year, when you’re still learning a lot of the course material, you can read through the questions to find the ones that focus on topics you’ve already covered.In order to get the most of these practice problems, use a timer and give yourself the same timing limitations the real exam will have. Also, no calculator! Conclusion The free-response section of the AP Environmental Science exam is often challenging for students, but becoming familiar with it can go a long way to helping you get a higher score. The free-response section contains four questions: 1 document-based question 1 data set question 2 synthesis and evaluation questions You’ll have 90 minutes to complete this section, and it’s worth 40% of your total score. Also, no calculators are allowed. To maximize your chances of doing well keep these three tips in mind: Figure out how long to spend on each question before you begin Be comfortable solving equations without a calculator Keep your units straight Also, remember to complete lots of practice problems so you’ll feel confident and prepared on the day of the exam. What's Next? Want some more practice materials for AP Enviro? We've got 'em! Check out our guide with links to every AP Environmental Science practice test and quiz available online (coming soon). Now you know what the free-response section will be like, but how do you review for AP Enviro? Our guide walks you through each step of creating a study plan that will pinpoint what you need to study. Wondering when you should start studying for AP Enviro and other AP exams?In our guide, we help you figure out exactly when you need to start cracking open those review books. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points? We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

The Relationship Between Smart Phones and People Essays

The Relationship Between Smart Phones and People Essays The Relationship Between Smart Phones and People Essay The Relationship Between Smart Phones and People Essay The Relationship Between Smart Phones and People Smart phone is a significant innovation and is a symbol of the globe information age arises. The advantages of smart phones are that not only are people able to call and answer but they can also install software to play games, surf the net and listen to music. Then, smart phones only change and emphasize how people communicate in many ways, however, they will not break the relationship with people. Firstly, people are more easily to contact and follow someones Twitter while they have smart phones; they can hear the sound and see the face of the friends and families for an affordable price. Technology improves and develops smart phone to be more human. Although many people believe that people playing with their phones may wreck their friendships, smart phones provide many positive experiences to stay in touch with people, including social networks, the cost of calling and humankind applications. First of all, feature phones change life simple and easy, and the reason is that these kinds of the phones lack of social network. Smartened have a lot of attractions from the Internet. For instance, users can upload their imagery, writings and videos to their Backbone, Twitter and blob instantly; then everyone can share something that append around them. As a result, people are able to follow their friends activities, comment writings and have new friends. People will know what their friends have done without asking. Moreover, people may lose touch and later find their old school friends in the primary, secondary or even the high school through the applications in the smart phones. Furthermore, people use cellophanes to scan the news, the magazines and books, they have more fresh and interesting topics to talk about when they have a meal with their friends, and therefore more interactive with each other. Smartness provide a great deal of information to share and respond. More importantly, feature phones have a high cost of calling, testing messages and other fees. Though Smartness are not cheap, it is no doubt that they help people save money because no one wants to spend a lot on calling. For example, in the past, people needed to pay much money for long distance and international calls. Therefore, people might call their family or friends once in a while. However, if people use smartness, they can spend less money to talk for longer. Moreover, there is an application in the smartness called Group; Group offers cheaper rises for many activities, people may buy tickets and with friends and go together on a weekend. In addition, smartness have Wi-If and connect is free from time to time. There is no cost to message and call when using wireless. Smartness reduce the price of calling and motivate people keep in touch. Finally, a phone is easier to use for most people due to the less functions. In contrast, smart phone is more complex and humankind due to a lot of applications, which help people close. For example, people could only text message and voice call before; they could not see their facial expression. In addition, programmers create the emotion signs for cellophane users right now; sometimes, these signs are compounded with letters, testing people. Also, leaving a vocal message is more popular and intimate with friends and families. Sometimes, people find it difficult to explain something by words and it is not necessary to have a call; they may use the chatting applications to send a voice message. These applications use data plans instead of extra money. In addition, if people wish to meet someone and talk, they can have a video call instead. People can see someone at anytime when they use Keep and Weight. Definitely, hose applications are helpful tools and merely help people to more conveniently contact each other. The fact is, when people have smart phones; the communications between people will not less. Due to there are a lot of activities that people can do together with their friends and families. In addition, people use smartness can communicate through social network, reduce the payment of calling fees and choose one of varied convenient applications to contact. If someone does not agree with these opinions, why not consider leaving the smartened at home and using the feature phone for one day to have expected answer?

Battle of Contreras - Mexican-American War - Battle of Padierna - Winfield Scott

Battle of Contreras - Mexican-American War - Battle of Padierna - Winfield Scott Battle of Contreras - Conflict Dates: The Battle of Contreras was fought August 19-20, 1847, during the Mexican-American War (1846-1848). Armies Commanders United States Major General Winfield ScottMajor General William Worth8,500 men Mexico General Antonio Lopez de Santa AnnaGeneral Gabriel Valencia5,000 men Battle of Contreras - Background: Though Major General Zachary Taylor had triumphed in a series of victories at Palo Alto, Resaca de la Palma, and Monterrey, President James K. Polk decided to shift the focus of the American war effort from northern Mexico to a campaign against Mexico City. Though this was largely due to Polks concerns about Taylors political ambitions, it was also supported by intelligence reports that an advance against Mexico City from the north would be exceptionally difficult. As a result, a new army was formed under Major General Winfield Scott and instructed to capture the key port city of Veracruz. Coming ashore on March 9, 1847, Scotts command moved against the city and captured it after a twenty-day siege. Constructing a major base at Veracruz, Scott began making plans to advance inland before yellow fever season arrived. Moving inland, Scott routed the Mexicans, led by General Antonio Là ³pez de Santa Anna, at Cerro Gordo the following month. Pressing on, Scott captured Puebla where he paused to rest and reorganize through June and July. Resuming the campaign in early August, Scott elected to approach Mexico City from the south rather than force the enemy defenses at El Peà ±Ãƒ ³n. Rounding Lakes Chalco and Xochimilco his men arrived at San Augustin on August 18. Having anticipated an American advance from the east, Santa Anna began redeploying his army to the south and assumed a line along the Churubusco River (Map). Battle of Contreras - Scouting the Area: To defend this new position, Santa Anna placed troops under General Francisco Perez at Coyoacan with forces led by General Nicholas Bravo to the east at Churubusco. On the west end of the Mexican line was General Gabriel Valencias Army of the North at San Angel. Having established his new position, Santa Anna was separated from Scott by a vast lava field known as the Pedregal. On August 18 Scott ordered Major General William J. Worth to take his division along the direct road to Mexico City. Moving along the east edge of the Pedregal, this force came under heavy fire at San Antonio, just south of Churubusco. Unable to flank the Mexicans due to the Pedregal to the west and water to the east, Worth elected to halt. As Scott pondered his next move, Valencia, a political rival of Santa Annas, elected to abandon San Angel and moved five miles south to a hill near the villages of Contreras and Padierna. Santa Annas orders for him to return to San Angel were refused and Valencia argued he was in a better position to defend or attack depending on the enemys course of action. Unwilling to mount a costly frontal assault on San Antonio, Scott began contemplating moving up the west side of the Pedregal. To scout the route, he dispatched Robert E. Lee, recently brevetted to major for his actions at Cerro Gordo, along with an infantry regiment and some dragoons west. Pressing into the Pedregal, Lee reached Mount Zacatepec where his men dispersed a group of Mexican guerrillas. Battle of Contreras - Americans on the Move: From the mountain, Lee was confident that the Pedregal could be crossed. Relating this to Scott, he convinced his commander to change the armys line of advance. The next morning, troops from Major General David Twiggs and Major General Gideon Pillows divisions moved out and began constructing a path along the route traced by Lee. In doing so, they were unaware of Valencias presence at Contreras. By early afternoon, they had reached a point past the mountain to where they could see Contreras, Padierna, and San Geronimo. Moving down the forward slope of the mountain, Twiggs men came under fire from Valencias artillery. Countering this, Twiggs advanced his own guns and returned fire. Taking overall command, Pillow directed Colonel Bennett Riley to take his brigade to the north and west. After crossing a small river they were to take San Geronimo and cut off the enemys line of retreat. Moving over rough terrain, Riley found no opposition and occupied the village. Valencia, engaged in the artillery duel, failed to see the American column. Concerned that Riley was isolated, Pillow later directed Brigadier General George Cadwaladers brigade and Colonel George Morgans 15th Infantry to join him. As the afternoon progressed, Riley scouted the rear of Valencias position. During this time, they also detected a large Mexican force moving south from San Angel. This was Santa Anna leading reinforcements forward. Seeing the plight of his comrades across the stream, Brigadier General Persifor Smith, whose brigade was supporting the guns that were firing on Valencia, began to fear for the safety of the American forces. Unwilling to directly assault Valencias position, Smith moved his men into the Pedregal and followed the route used earlier. Joining with the 15th Infantry shortly before sunset, Smith began planning an attack on the Mexican rear. This was ultimately called off du e to darkness. Battle of Contreras - A Quick Victory: To the north, Santa Anna, faced with a difficult road and a setting sun, elected to withdraw back to San Angel. This removed the threat to the Americans around San Geronimo. Consolidating the American forces, Smith spent the evening designing a dawn attack intended to strike the enemy from three sides. Desiring permission from Scott, Smith accepted Lees offer to cross the Pedregal in the darkness to take a message to their commander. Upon meeting Lee, Scott was pleased with the situation and directed him to find troops to support Smiths effort. Locating Brigadier General Franklin Pierces brigade (temporarily led by Colonel T.B. Ransom), it was ordered to demonstrate in front of Valencias lines at dawn. During the night, Smith ordered his men as well as Rileys and Cadwaladers to form for battle. Morgan was directed to cover the road north to San Angel while Brigadier General James Shields recently arrived brigade was to hold San Geronimo. In the Mexican camp, Valencias men were cold and tired having endured a long night. They were also increasingly concerned about the whereabouts of Santa Anna. At daybreak, Smith ordered the Americans to attack. Storming forward, they routed Valencias command in a fight that lasted only seventeen minutes. Many of the Mexicans attempted to flee north but were intercepted by Shields men. Rather than come to their assistance, Santa Anna continued falling back towards Churubusco. Battle of Contreras - Aftermath: The fighting at the Battle of Contreras cost Scott around 300 killed and wounded while Mexican losses numbered approximately 700 killed, 1,224 wounded, and 843 captured. Recognizing that the victory had unhinged the Mexican defenses in the area, Scott issued a flurry of orders following Valencias defeat. Among these were orders which countermanded earlier directives for Worths and Major General John Quitmans divisions to move west. Instead, these were ordered north towards San Antonio. Sending troops west into the Pedregal, Worth quickly outflanked the Mexican position and sent them reeling north. As the day progressed, American forces drove forward on both sides of the Pedregal in pursuit of the enemy. They would catch up with Santa Anna around noon at the Battle of Churubusco. Selected Source PBS: Battle of ContrerasBattle of Contreras: Official Report Battle of Contreras - Map

Pricing and Distribution Strategy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Pricing and Distribution Strategy - Essay Example Conceptually the Ad’s must be considered the benchmark for any successful product campaign as the Apple iPhone has defined the smart phone market in the United States for the better part of a decade. No carrier or manufacturer had ever managed to expose any vulnerability in Apple’s iPhone and its advertising strategy, until Micromax teamed up with Android OS to produce an â€Å"iPhone killer† advertisement. Introduction: â€Å"You don’t buy a smartphone, you buy an iPhone.† This is the Apple mantra; it is the capstone of their entire advertising and marketing campaign. Apple isn’t content with being a leader in sales alone; they want to own the market. The iPhone wasn’t the first phone, but they engineered it to be so unique that you couldn’t help but think it was. Apple introduced a concept of innovating ergonomics that could be marketed in simple dynamic visual ads that affected consumer perceptions of their products, and ulti mately allowed Apple to dominate the entire smart phone market segment. Such was the state of the smart phone universe until October 2011. The iPhone 4S was unveiled at Apple's "Let's Talk iPhone" event on October 4, 2011, on the Apple Campus in Cupertino, California.( Chaffin, 2011) With the usual pomp and circumstance Apple rolled out its standard new product campaign in a typically â€Å"Apple fashion†.( Chaffin, 2011) As iPhone 4s sales commenced on October 7, 2011 Apple prepped a One Half page Top Fold Advertisement to run in the USA Today on Sunday October 9, 2011. Following the Apple print ad Micromax and Android OS rolled out a Full Page print ad in the exact ad space within the USA Today on Sunday October 16, 2011. These two ads are the focus of this paper and represent the proverbial yen and yang of the battle between Apple and its competitors for the smart phone universe. While Apple’s ad followed its dynamic marketing strategy, the Micromax and Android Adve rtisement exposed a hugely successful tactic that could be deployed to counter the iPhones dominance in the market. II.The Advertisements Comparison/Contrast: The Apple â€Å"Fasten Your Seatbelt† Print Ad from October 9, 2011: The Apple iPhone 4s Advertisement follows a traditional â€Å"Apple† philosophy: It’s not so much the marketing angle that matters as it is the way that people identify with that angle. The Ad itself is a clean Picture-Window Layout featuring the sleek sexy iPhone as the center feature of the Ad. The theme, copy brilliance and wit of the Ad are more important than layout. Apple takes the basic ideas of Doyle Bernibach and enhances them around the architecture (Beasley, 2002) of the iPhone as a product. The simplicity and execution of the Ad creates a contextualization of the product for the consumer (Beasley, 2002), it successfully builds upon the aura of the iPhone and Apple with a â€Å"New† and â€Å"Faster† sales hook th at captures consumer’s attention and presents a clear call to action that motivates current iPhone and Smart phone owners to upgrade to the iPhone 4s. The Micromax and Android OS â€Å"I CAN’T† Counter Ad from October 16, 2011. The Micromax Advertisement is a variation on the frame layout in which kidney-shaped copy is spread over a large portion of the layout, creating a cul-de-sac of white in which the headline and product are placed. (Altstiel, 2005) The Copy type is reversed in non-patterned or plain-toned areas to allow the consumer to first focus on the headline, then

E-procurement and diffusion of innovation theory and Rogerss model Thesis

E-procurement and diffusion of innovation theory and Rogerss model - Thesis Example This research will begin with the statement that procurement is one of the most crucial aspects of any organization. In general term, it is defined as the process of purchasing goods and materials at a proper time at the best affordable price. E-procurement involves using the internet and other web-based technologies as a tool for procurement. The success of this technique in the private sector has also aroused considerable interests among the public sector organizations with regards to adopting and implementing e-Procurement in their business process. In a typical e-Procurement process, an organization purchases goods and materials from suppliers by using the internet as a medium. E-procurement processes are characterized by the presence of e-marketplaces which is a platform that brings suppliers and buyers together. E-marketplaces also have the option of a reverse auction where competitive bidding can be undertaken for procuring a particular material. The process of e-Procurement i nvolves the following steps namely: Review of various suppliers Compiling documents related to ‘Request for Quotations’ Â  Sending out ‘Request for Quotations’ Revisions and resending related to ‘Request for Quotations’ Receiving proposals of RFQ’s Compiling and evaluating response Review of bids Narrowing down on the list of bidders Negotiations Selecting the winning bid.

Critical Thinking and Language Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Critical Thinking and Language - Essay Example Today, we have the powerful desire to know what is going on and how we fit in the larger picture of the society. More than before, we need to engage in systematic and extensive communications in upward, downward, and lateral directions. By being able to acquire language mastery which involves grammar, spelling, use of words, intonation and others, we will be able to make good use of our language skills to our advantage. This will be a powerful tool for us to successfully resolve conflicts, make sound decisions and provide smart solutions as well as improve the statues of our social relationships. Social organizations cannot exist without language and communication. Language has already become a part of different cultures for different nations have their own national language and even their own set of dialects. Language has already been a part of every country's national heritage and also one of the pillars of their national identity. Since language may vary from one nation to another, this brings about the diversity in language. With this characteristic of language, people are able to interact with other people from different nationalities and having different cultural backgrounds. We are also able to communicate with people from any age, gender, ethnicity and religion due to diversity in language. This way, we are able to share our knowledge and expertise to people from across the globe. As an example, diversity in language can be exemplified by the communication between men and women. Research on gender-based communication styles has begun to show more fascinating diversity between two groups. Numerous studies have explored whether men and women use different communication styles. In general, men and women display marked diversity in the way in which they communicate. Men emphasize power, while women stress rapport; men are more likely than women to claim credit for accomplishments; men tend to downplay their uncertainty rather than admit it; women asks questions to learn more, while men fear that asking questions will make them look ignorant. How does language empower or limit the expression of our thoughts Language serves as our medium for communication and expression. Every idea that our mind perceives and process will be rendered useless unless they are expressed though language. Language can work to our advantage or disadvantage depending on how well we know how to make language work for us. The more we know about language such as semantics, phonetics, use of words and grammar, the higher the possibility of getting our message or ideas across successfully. Nearly language is considered symbolic; that is it is achieved using symbols, (words, pictures, actions) that suggest certain meanings. Semantic barriers are examples of how language may limit our expression of thoughts as well understanding other people's thoughts. Semantic barriers arise from limitations in symbols with which we communicate. Symbols usually have a variety of meanings, and we have to choose one meaning from many. Sometimes we choose the wrong meaning and misunderstanding occurs. This is particularly likely with use of jargons, which is the specialized language of a group. Jargon can include the use of acronyms, slang (words unique to an ethnic or racial group), or

The climate change. Carbon Tax in Australia Essay

The climate change. Carbon Tax in Australia - Essay Example It is supposed to affect most of the Australian industries along with the household people. Carbon tax has been proposed with the view of associating cost with carbon emission and encouraging people to make use renewable sources of energy. An IMC plan has been set out to promote this new carbon tax in Australia. The target audience has been identified to be the Australian households and the industries in Australia. Relevant communication objectives have also been developed focusing more on the awareness amongst people about carbon tax and its implications and thereby helping to create a brand image of the same. Creative strategies towards the achievement of each of the communication objectives have also been developed. Media plan have been formulated and is considered to be the key of the effectiveness of this IMC plan. A proper media mix has been taken into consideration to enable effective communication with the specific target audiences. The climate change as a consequence of glob al warming is an important environmental issue in today’s world. The earth’s temperature has been rising at an alarming rate in the recent years. All the nations in the world are concerned about it, and Australia is no exception. The government of Australia has come up with the proposal of implementation of a new environmental tax, namely carbon tax. ... This study discusses the development an Integrated Marketing Communication (IMC) plan so as to promote carbon tax, its implications, and advantages associated with it. A proper segmental analysis along with the formulation of specific communication objectives has been included in this study. Creative strategies to achieve the communication objectives have also been included in this study. Lastly, a proper media plan has been developed for creating an effective communication with the target audience. 2. Segment Analysis The key principle behind IMC is the knowledge of customers. This knowledge is made possible through proper segmentation of target audience or customer in order to identify them (Duncan 204). Segmentation of customers is usually done on the basis of certain parameters like geographic, psychographic, demographic, and behavioural characteristics. This study is about developing an IMC plan for the promotion of the proposed carbon tax by the government of Australia. Hence t he first primary task in developing such plan would be the proper segmentation of a target audience. Carbon tax is designed to be imposed on those adding to the carbon emission in the atmosphere. Carbon emission occurs mainly from two sources: from the production of goods, which results in carbon emission, or from the consumption of goods and services, which results in the emission of carbon into the atmosphere. Hence the Australian economy can be thought of as two broad segments, namely the Australian households and the companies in Australia that are involved in consuming and producing energy from sources that cause carbon emission. Australian households

Marketing Communication Plan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Marketing Communication Plan - Essay Example Objectives for Future: In order to sustain the organisation’s reputation and to enhance it in the future, they will need to launch new and innovative campaigns in target nations that really have problems, which affect a major share of the population. By doing this, Oxfam can garner a lot of media as well as public attention that will further promote their good will on a global level. In the recent years, the youth oriented programs of the organisation have attracted attention and they are receiving good support for such endeavours. These campaigns are being promoted through Youth Action Group, which provide youngsters to be innovative and orient their actions for fighting against issues that â€Å"matter to them† and thus come under the umbrella of â€Å"active global citizens† (Teachers’ Guide: A Guide to Support Youth Action Groups, n.d.). Developing nations do offer a wide range of options for action with regard to improving the quality of life of young sters, solving a variety of problems that they encounter, providing them better educational and employment avenues etc. Thus, it transpires that the best strategy at this juncture for Oxfam is to focus their attention to some major problem in a developing nation that will offer the scope for excellent PR work. In order to sustain their reputation as a high profile charitable organization, Oxfam needs to focus on the problems on developing nations and take action for supporting the novel causes in those countries. This will enable them to tap the potential of garnering support from these countries as well as create an impression in the international community that the organization is intervening with the real problems that need to be tackled in the modern day. There are many countries in the world where resources are plenty and human talent is available in abundance. However, due to a lack of a proper sense of direction or the absence of resourceful leadership, many aspects may get i gnored thus causing internal problems in the country. Organisations like Oxfam have a key role to play in such nations and by doing so, they will be offering valuable services to such countries. In order to raise funds and promote their reputation as a short term objective, one of the ideal strategies will be to fix a novel price for the Oxfam Anniversary Party and Gathering and to promote its sale through active campaigns, with the propaganda focused on the key issue for which the income will be spent on. In addition, a fund raising endeavour can also be made on the day of the event, with some specific offer as media coverage or advertisement for the donors to the cause. Similarly, parties can also be organized in major cities of the country where the focus campaign is to be conducted, wherein similar special offers may be floated to industries and other interested parties. Thus, Oxfam will be able to generate high revenues from the Annual Party and Gathering. Target: India is a de veloping nation, with its economy poised for high growth and it is also one of the major destinations for foreign investment as the country has a high â€Å"potential for achieving sustained growth† and development (Current State of the Indian Economy: A Balancing Act, 2012, p.7). The country, despite being agriculture based traditionally, has a lot of industries both in manufacturing and service areas as well as other

Widget Wonders Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Widget Wonders - Essay Example Microsoft Word 2013 would as well be vital for the purposes of processing manufacturing and distribution information documents. Apart from use of Microsoft Excel software mostly used by various organizations for the purpose of preparing and analyzing spreadsheets, I would also recommend installation of Kingsoft Spreadsheets 2013 as alternate software for analyzing spreadsheets. Kingsoft Spreadsheets 2013 is fast, cheaper, dependable spreadsheet software and capable of reading and even editing XLS and XLSX file formats. At times, the processed information is presented to the management or the different stakeholders this is why I would recommend installation of emaze online presentation software. This software is capable of doing the slideshows and video presentations in a 3D presentation. This will be incorporated in the direct 3D Modeling Express 6.0 software that I will also emphasize for this particular Information system. The files and documents in any information system are vital since in them is the company’s data that is vulnerable to different impending threats including viruses and hackers (Maram et.al, 2012). For security and safety measures of such documents and files therefore, first, I would recommend the use of Norton AntiVirus 2014 for it has established superiority as one of the best AntiVirus software for its capabilities of running comparisons which are cloud-based on a file against an infected edition of the same file. Second, I would recommend the installation of Intelex Document control software. Third, I would also recommend the use of Box cloud storage service to enhance the control and privacy of the files and lastly the installation of Zone Alarm software so as to keep off hackers from interfering with the company’s

Marketing Communication Plan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Marketing Communication Plan - Essay Example Objectives for Future: In order to sustain the organisation’s reputation and to enhance it in the future, they will need to launch new and innovative campaigns in target nations that really have problems, which affect a major share of the population. By doing this, Oxfam can garner a lot of media as well as public attention that will further promote their good will on a global level. In the recent years, the youth oriented programs of the organisation have attracted attention and they are receiving good support for such endeavours. These campaigns are being promoted through Youth Action Group, which provide youngsters to be innovative and orient their actions for fighting against issues that â€Å"matter to them† and thus come under the umbrella of â€Å"active global citizens† (Teachers’ Guide: A Guide to Support Youth Action Groups, n.d.). Developing nations do offer a wide range of options for action with regard to improving the quality of life of young sters, solving a variety of problems that they encounter, providing them better educational and employment avenues etc. Thus, it transpires that the best strategy at this juncture for Oxfam is to focus their attention to some major problem in a developing nation that will offer the scope for excellent PR work. In order to sustain their reputation as a high profile charitable organization, Oxfam needs to focus on the problems on developing nations and take action for supporting the novel causes in those countries. This will enable them to tap the potential of garnering support from these countries as well as create an impression in the international community that the organization is intervening with the real problems that need to be tackled in the modern day. There are many countries in the world where resources are plenty and human talent is available in abundance. However, due to a lack of a proper sense of direction or the absence of resourceful leadership, many aspects may get i gnored thus causing internal problems in the country. Organisations like Oxfam have a key role to play in such nations and by doing so, they will be offering valuable services to such countries. In order to raise funds and promote their reputation as a short term objective, one of the ideal strategies will be to fix a novel price for the Oxfam Anniversary Party and Gathering and to promote its sale through active campaigns, with the propaganda focused on the key issue for which the income will be spent on. In addition, a fund raising endeavour can also be made on the day of the event, with some specific offer as media coverage or advertisement for the donors to the cause. Similarly, parties can also be organized in major cities of the country where the focus campaign is to be conducted, wherein similar special offers may be floated to industries and other interested parties. Thus, Oxfam will be able to generate high revenues from the Annual Party and Gathering. Target: India is a de veloping nation, with its economy poised for high growth and it is also one of the major destinations for foreign investment as the country has a high â€Å"potential for achieving sustained growth† and development (Current State of the Indian Economy: A Balancing Act, 2012, p.7). The country, despite being agriculture based traditionally, has a lot of industries both in manufacturing and service areas as well as other

Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Essay Example for Free

Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Essay Known as Netaji (leader), Mr. Bose was a fierce and popular leader in the political scene in pre-independence India . He was the president of the Indian National Congress in 1937 and 1939, and founded a nationalist force called the Indian National Army. He was acclaimed as a semigod, akin to the many mythological heroes like Rama or Krishna, and continues as a legend in Indian mind. Subhas Chandra was born on January 23rd 1897 in Cuttack (in present day Orissa) as the ninth child among fourteen, of Janakinath Bose, an advocate, and Prabhavatidevi, a pious and God-fearing lady. A brilliant student, he topped the matriculation examination of Calcutta province and passed his B. A. in Philosophy from the Presidency College in Calcutta. He was strongly influenced by Swami Vivekanandas teachings and was known for his patriotic zeal as a student. His parents wishes kept him away from the Indian freedom struggle and led him into studies for the Indian Civil Service in England. Although he finished those examinations also at the top of his class (4th), he could not complete his aprecentship and returned to India, being deeply disturbed by the Jallianwalla Bagh massacre. He came under the influence of Mahatma Gandhi and joined the Indian National Congress (a. k. a. Congress). Gandhiji directed him to work with Deshbandhu Chittaranjan Das, the Bengali leader whom Bose acknowledged as his political guru. Bose was outspoken in his anti-British stance and was jailed 11 (eleven) times between 1920 and 1941 for periods varying between six months and three years. He was the leader of the youth wing of the Congress Party, in the forefront of the trade union movement in India and organized Service League, another wing of Congress. He was admired for his great skills in organization development . The Influence of Bose Bose advocated complete freedom for India at the earliest, whereas the Congress Committee wanted it in phases, through a Dominion status. Other younger leaders including Jawaharlal Nehru supported Bose and finally at the historic Lahore Congress convention, the Congress had to adopt Poorna Swaraj (complete freedom) as its motto. Bhagat Singhs martyrdom and the inability of the Congress leaders to save his life infuriated Bose and he started a movement opposing the Gandhi-Irvin Peace Pact. He was imprisoned and expelled from India. But defying the ban, he came back to India and was imprisoned again! Clouds of World War II were gathering fast and Bose warned the Indian people and the British against dragging India into the war and the material losses she could incur. He was elected president of the Indian National Congress twice in 1937 and in 1939, the second time defeating Gandhijis nominee. He brought a resolution to give the British six months to hand India over to the Indians, failing which there would be a revolt. There was much opposition to his rigid stand, and he resigned from the post of president and formed a progressive group known as the Forward Block (1939). The second World War broke out in September of 1939, and just as predicted by Bose, India was declared as a warring state (on behalf of the British) by the Governor General, without consulting Indian leaders. The Congress party was in power in seven major states and all state governments resigned in protest. Subhas Chandra Bose now started a mass movement against utilizing Indian resources and men for the great war. To him, it made no sense to further bleed poor Indians for the sake of colonial and imperial nations. There was a tremendous response to his call and the British promptly imprisoned him . He took to a hunger-strike, and after his health deteriorated on the 11th day of fasting, he was freed and was placed under house arrest. The British were afraid of violent reactions in India, should something happen to Bose in prison. The Mystery Begins Bose suddenly disappeared in the beginning of 1941 and it was not until many days that authorities realized Bose was not inside the house they were guarding! He traveled by foot, car and train and resurfaced in Kabul (now in Afghanistan), only to disappear once again. In November 1941, his broadcast from German radio sent shock waves among the British and electrified the Indian masses who realized that their leader was working on a master plan to free their motherland. It also gave fresh confidence to the revolutionaries in India who were challenging the British in many ways. The Axis powers (mainly Germany) assured Bose military and other help to fight the British. Japan by this time had grown into another strong world power, occupying key colonies of Dutch, French, and British colonies in Asia. Bose had struck alliance with Germany and Japan. He rightly felt that his presence in the East would help his countrymen in freedom struggle and second phase of his saga began. It is told that he was last seen on land near Keil canal in Germany, in the beginning of 1943. A most hazardous journey was undertaken by him under water, covering thousands of miles, crossing enemy territories. He was in the Atlantic, the Middle East, Madagascar and the Indian ocean. Battles were being fought over land, in the air and there were mines in the sea. At one stage he traveled 400 miles in a rubber dinghy to reach a Japanese submarine, which took him to Tokyo. He was warmly received in Japan and was declared the head of the Indian army, which consisted of about 40,000 soldiers from Singapore and other eastern regions. Bose called it the Indian National Army (INA) and a government by the name Azad Hind Government was declared on the 21st of October 1943. INA freed the Andaman and Nicobar islands from the British, and were renamed as Swaraj and Shaheed islands. The Government started functioning. Leader of Masses and the Military  Bose in INA Uniform 1943 Early Success and Tragic End Bose wanted to free India from the Eastern front. He had taken care that Japanese interference was not present from any angle. Army leadership, administration and communications were managed only by Indians. Subhash Brigade, Azad Brigade and Gandhi Brigade were formed. INA marched through Burma and occupied Coxtown on the Indian Border. A touching scene ensued when the solders entered their free motherland. Some lay down and kissed, some placed pieces of mother earth on their heads, others wept. They were now inside of India and were determined to drive out the British! Delhi Chalo (Lets march to Delhi) was the war cry. The bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki changed the history of mankind. Japan had to surrender. Bose was in Singapore at that time and decided to go to Tokyo for his next course of action. Unfortunately, the plane he boarded crashed near Taipei and he died in the hospital of severe burns. He was just 48. The Indian people were so much enamored of Boses oratory and leadership qualities, fealressness and mysterious adventures, that he had become a legend. They refused to believe that he died in the plane crash. The famous Red Fort trial wherein Boses generals and the INA officers were tried, became landmark events. Initially, the British Government thought of a court-martial, but there was a countrywide protest against any kind of punishment. For common Indians, Axis and Allied powers hardly mattered, but they could not tolerate punishment of fellow countrymen who were fighting for freedom. The British Government was in no position to face open rebellion or mutiny and a general amnesty for INA soldiers was declared. While Boses approach to Indian freedom continues to generate heated debate in the Indian society today, there is no denying of his burning patriotism, his tireless efforts to free India from inside and outside and his reckless adventures in trying to reach his goals. His exploits later became a legend due to the many stories carried by the disbanded INA soldiers who came from every nook and corner of our great country. Had he lived, Subhas Chandra Bose could have given a new turn to Independent Indias political history. But he lives on eternally in the Indian mind, more famous after his death.

Food, Culture and Spirituality

Food, Culture and Spirituality Food, culture, spirituality Every religion gives an interpretation of the symbolic aspect of food, and the status of food, and readings dictated by the Divine indicate to the human being his behaviour towards the earthly food. Food is an integral part of our history, and of our fate. Theology, religious discourse that interprets what the divine indicates in His language and liturgical texts are there, being the expression of the divine in the language of the People. Each of us has a unique way of behaving towards food, disciple or not of a particular religion (cultural reference system consolidating our relationship with the forces of transcendence). Man, since its advent on earth, practically selected food that has been helpful for survival. He has also been slow to adapt to certain foods and to domesticate what was natural. Later, depending on culture and / or tradition, man has legislated on the categories, on helpful food, bad food, pleasant food By establishing strict coding rules on how to eat, cook, etcMan has forced many generations to internalize a certain taste and to preset certain eating habits. Thus, from one continent to another, whereas today it is possible to find the same food everywhere, we find that there are different ways to eat, cook and prepare these foods. In the collective unconscious exists here and there a conditioning and learning specific to each culture, our religions that encourage us to sort between desirable: the known, and the undesirable: the unknown. The food remains the vector of our culture (our religion) because it is meaningful. If I refuse to eat a particular food, it is my inner conscience which tells me that there is a taboo (although sometimes I do not know the reason for this ban and I will try to build a logic argument (often taboo is religious). The concept of lawful and unlawful, sacred and profane is a duality which is similar to the universal notion of good and evil. The difference is then made between the food polluting the body and food benefiting the body. Eating a particular food is always a choice, an activity of the mind which classes, dictates, chooses based on cultural, economic and religious criteria. The food may also be in some traditions, a sacred food, that is to say, reserved for the gods, fit for consumption by the Gods, food offering or ceremony. The holidays are times sanctuaries where certain categories of foods are consumed, depending on History, Memory, Tradition; This is how our history may be likened to the history of our favourite foods. Men eat as society has taught them to feed themselves; this evidence appears to some as unfounded. We often love food that our mother taught us to consume. And our likes and dislikes, our food aversions are the result of our upbringing, our culture, our religion. Taste and food aversions nestle in us between the burden of heredity and constraints of socialization. All food system act as a control, it is a language of differentiation and distancing. Diet indicates a belonging, an ideal. We must not forget that in the Old Testament (Genesis Gen.l 0.29 to 30). It is recalled that the â€Å"Paradise is vegetarian and it was only after the flood that God allowed man to eat differently. It is written, Everything that lives and moves will serve you as food . Food, constitutive factor of cultural identity I am what I eat, what I eat transforms me; eating transmits certain characteristics to eaters. As a result, if I do not know what I eat, I do not know who I am â€Å"Claude Fischeler. Do we eat to live or do we live to eat? A question that often arises. In the face of this dilemma, the answer is both simple and complex. To live we must eat, we cannot do without food. Our diet and how to feed ourselves have evolved at the same pace as us. Our story is the story of our food. Our relationship with food is complicated, and each one of us rules it in his own way, as the hermit who needs just little food to survive, essentially fundamental to its survival; by cons if you abuse too much food as a bulimic, it becomes dangerous and can lead you to death. We must therefore follow a certain measure, knowing that food is both poison and medicine. Food is central to our mental and social universe, it accompanies us from our birth to our death for some civilizations beyond death by the offerings made à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¹Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¹daily on the altar erected to the memory of ancestors . Learning about our tastes and sensations is done very early, from our first feeding; loved foods are those that have the taste and flavour of â€Å"flavoured† breast milk. Thus our brain receives and manufactures from the first moment of our life categories, adapting or rejecting by selecting certain tastes. We can say that the choice of our food is never so risky. This choice is always to specific categories that have to do with our children, our youth, our social and cultural environment, ultimately our history. Chance has little place in our food choices. Say that you love more this than that does not denote a single individual desire, this desire is conditioned by what we have already eaten or liked, even if we have forgotten â€Å"when and where? â€Å". Food, therefore, is a social cultural phenomenon induced positively or negatively in our mind, and determines our eating habits. Our uniqueness is also food. To this must be added the symbolic and mythological representations that illustrate our imaginary perception of food; the example of milk may well be illustrated by the milk of Mother Wolf of Romulus and Remus, as the preferred food to Paradise (with others). Milk creates an inseparable kinship and makes those who were fed together brothers and sisters in milk that is to say a third person who gives the breast to other children makes them his children, brothers and sisters of milk of her own children. This will prevent them later to marry from each other. We see that eating urges the individual. Eating is a social and cultural ritual that ensures continuity and diversity in family and social contacts. Eating together is sharing moments and fun with family and friends and participating in the unification and cohesion of groups, that is to say, sociability and maintaining social ties. Each society has its way of sharing food. Food is meant to be shared, in order not to destroy its essence for oneself and for others. In Hinduism, there is a warning â€Å"he who eats without knowing kills food, and if eaten, it kills. Be aware of what you eat, eating is not a trivial matter but a social act that determines the experience of community sharing. Brillat Savarin (Philosophy taste) gives us the key to this enigma by telling us: â€Å"Tell me what you eat and I will tell you who you are. Modern man eats everything but finally digests anything, because the culinary delight presupposes knowledge of your own kitchen or at least its basics. What distinguishes man from a ruminant for example is his awareness of what he eats and the pleasure he derives. Each civilization rebuilt a coherent landscape bases on food, wine is magnified because it is a close relative of the Communion in the Christian Religion, and it gladdens the heart of man. It keeps the image of consolation for the afflicted and haven for aggrieved persons. It is therefore linked to social marginalization. It is more individual than social, if not part of the whole meal that it must accompany or illustrate. Wine is consumed by feeling national the wine and cheese, typically French picture we praise it if we are French, as we praise the beer if we are German or Belgian, whiskey is consumed by mimicry or snobbery. As for coffee , it will make its entry into the French world in the seventeenth century , called philosophers ‘milk . It is considered a noble beverage that gives spirit and distinguished aristocratic drunkenness. Consumption will allow ladies to enter the intellectual circles. We see that the use of coffee has changed society for a social progress and some liberalization of morals. In Asian society, eating is to balance the bodys energies, thus ensuring a healthy eating is also a cultural act that has a metaphorical meaning and value. At an anniversary banquet, noodles consumption means long life to the person, the food appears here as a vector and an auspicious message. Put on the table rice stuffed dumplings to taste indicates a certain social and family cohesion. The Asian table must follow the rules of the three senses: sight, smell and taste; to this must be added the five basic tastes: sour, pungent, bitter, sweet and salty and to have a good meal it must rotate the crisp, fondant, sticky and dry. An Asian meal should be presented with all dishes together without succession in time. It is engulfed at a glance with its variety of colours and nuances of flavours. Thus the guest can choose what he likes, when he likes, and enjoy it at his convenience. Everything is there, everything is ordered in space and not in time. The meal is served to reinforce social relations, to exchange, to speak, as it is improper to eat in silence. Chinese formerly used knives. They were banished from the table for chopsticks, following a change of power. To mark this rupture, scholars forbade the use of the knife. Here we see the evolution of a table use: knives for chopsticks are happening, what is not a coincidence but reflects the social and political evolution of Chinese society. Eat all together from a central big dish, with your fingers but within a strict code , eating what comes ahead using three fingers to dip the bread in the sauce , do not lick your fingers , obeying a rhythm in time and focusing on food, these are other ways to behave vis- à  -vis food : they correspond to a certain Mediterranean cultural practice (especially the Maghreb ) . Here we eat in silence as the food is sacred. You must devote your attention and time. Today the food we impose has for criterion regularity, shelf life, caloric intake, leaving the old qualities such as flavour, taste, tradition, fun The man has striven for centuries to diversify his supply; He is reversing it today by making an increasingly homogeneous food. Therefore, food is disconnected from the social and cultural body which was its diversity, plurality, and frugality . Its not the food that makes the man, but the man who creates his diet. We must therefore sometimes relearn how to eat, to sit at the table to give meaning to our diet. Otherwise, we may do, without realizing it, food autism We will then only have right to virtual ideal food, safe , tasteless food. Then, the multi-functionality of a meal will appear to us as artificial, as collages acts, simultaneous but inconsistent, that is to say ridiculous features without any content. Our food is the vehicle of our symbols, it affects our lives and occupies our minds, it gives us sensations; it is essential to our lives and to our progress. Without food, man would be naked: just like he chooses his clothing, he chooses his diet, and this is what sets him apart and distinguishes him and is necessary for him to live and exist. Food: spiritual food? It is interesting to see how all the great sages or high initiates if we want to use a scholarly term gave a great importance to food. All religious people, whatever their faith, give a moment of reflection, prayer or meditation just before eating a meal and normally it takes place in silence. In some cases, the food becomes a spiritual food, because through food you can feed all the parts that make up the human being, of course, the physical part, but also the body parts that are called subtle. Returning to the theory and teaching of French philosopher and educator, of Bulgarian origin, Omraam Mikhael Aivanhov we find the meaning of food is very original and highly spiritual. It is through food that Aivanhov teaches us how we can increase our spirituality. Food becomes, through his teachings, an act of consciousness towards which we should all strive. Food certainly has the function of feeding us physically, but also to nourish all the other components of our being, all other bodies which compose us. This will be the purpose of the ethereal part of any food, feed our subtle body parts which are the seat of our psychic and spiritual functions. The first rule is to be aware of the first bite we take in our mouth: the beginning is extremely important, given that on it depends the rest of the meal. If we start out the meal peacefully, it will run fine until the end, but if we start when we are nervous or agitated, we will remain in this condition until the end. Harmony thus arises from the first bite. Food must then be chewed properly, that is to say long and slowly; because it is in the mouth that occurs the first digestion, even at the subtle level. According to Aivanhov it is in the mouth, through small glands located under the tongue, that are absorbed ethereal particles of food, those that can be defined as the subtle energy , not heat , and serve to feed the nervous system. The ether portion is a food -related colour, the life it contains: a world which is located in the field of air. Therefore, to eat well, the ethereal body must accompany each meal with a good breathing. You have to think to breathe deeply between a bite and the other to allow proper combustion. Supporting our etheric body means supporting our vitality, our memory, and our sensitivity. But awareness is not enough if we are going to feed the astral body, where our emotions and feelings reside: for this we must love the food we consume. Be in harmony with oneself is a fundamental condition for being able to stop and have a thought of peace, so that even this body, which is more subtle , can extract what it needs. For those who believe, it is enough to see the food as a manifestation of Divinity and focus on that thought to get the greatest benefit and enlightenment through the repetitive act of the meal. For Aivanhov, if we want to receive the finer parts of the food, we must be aware and especially predisposed to love, and our bodies will be open and ready to receive the best of the food. In fact, its like when we welcome a person with lots of love, he (she) will open to us and give us all; but if we receive him (her) with hostility, he (she) will close and we cannot get anything from this person. Just like a flower opens and transfers all its fragrance in the light and heat, the same way the food will behave with us, if we are qualified to position ourselves to it positively. Another key point in his theory states that it is possible to eat everything, but only as it should be eaten, and in reasonable quantities. Indulge and consume quantities above what we really need is harmful and promotes a loss of energy. Once you understand how to eat, it would be possible to feed in â€Å"homeopathic doses. The power supply has obviously a fundamental role, but mental and spiritual life is more important. That is why the positive and full of love thoughts are the basis for being able to enjoy fully foods that are ingested. Such thoughts are needed, even during a meal preparation; when we come into contact with food , we can provide it with positive energy through our thoughts . Aivanhov gives priority to foods that are able to develop spirituality. With the assumption that even infants smell, see colours, hears sounds, it becomes easy to understand how fruits and vegetables, which are steeped in sunlight, allow us to absorb it, through them, when we eat. By cons, meat, according to him, has a poor light and, above all, it has rapid time decay. Thats why it is not fit for human consumption. In addition, the animal feels death approaching when it arrives at the slaughterhouse, so its glands produce hormones that are poisonous to those who then eat its meat. Even solar energy contained in plants can feed us, but it is important that, in thought, we get it to reach all parts of our body. Silence is fundamental during the meal, to be able to concentrate, to be aware of the act that is accomplished. In this way, the meal becomes a privileged moment of meditation. Through this way of meditating, we are present when the act is accomplished, thanks to the love and consciousness; our body is nourished completely, even in its most subtle parts. The pranic food There are currently 20,000 people on our planet who would feed exclusively prana (chi, qi, ki) meaning that they would feed exclusively from the ambient energy, the light, at the expense of food and even water. Formerly, it was the case of the great mystics as Marthe Robin or the Tibetan lamas. Today, this phenomenon tends to spread and affect persons who are less religious†. To make sure of it, scientists observed a man who fasted for 70 years. For this purpose, he was filmed continuously for 15 days, 24 hours a day, continuously, to avoid deception. It was confirmed that he did not eat or drink during those fifteen days, and also he did not urinate or have a bowel movement, that is even more disturbing. Researchers have not yet figured out how this Indian could live 83 years while he pretended not to eat or drink for more than 70 years. You should know that today, individuals go towards new energies, raising their vibrational level to a greater spirituality, which gives them less attraction to the material elements. This no doubt helps people in their adaptation to the pranic nourishment. But it seems it is still too early for humanity to take this step. And for the moment, we must be very careful before getting to the pranic nourishment. We must be surrounded and knowledgeable about the subject. As some have tried and lost their health. An interesting view on the subject is the movie â€Å"light directed by Peter Arthur Straubinger. Food plays a central role in all religions, therefore some requirements and uses: Jewish kosher, Halal Muslim food, fasting among Christians. Each of the three monotheistic religions has its own norms or customs. But with modernity and secularization, are these still respected? When you believe, you do not eat anything, or anyhow. In most religions, there is a strong link between physical food and spiritual food. Besides, the precepts and prohibitions say something about Divinity, just like the presence of food in most ceremonies. Referencing Awad Fouatih – Pluridisciplinary Professor, Aubervilliers,France Pranic Food (French Edition)byHenri Monfort Living Sufism: Tariqa Qadiriya Boutchichiya, islam--soufisme