Human Respiration Lab Report Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Human Respiration - Lab Report Example Normal values range from 12 to 20 breaths per minute. The Inspiratory Reserve Volume (IRV) is the quantity of air that is taken into the lungs during a maximal forced inspiration that begins at the end of a normal inspiration. The trace for vital capacity shows an IRV reading of 2300cc. The normal value for IRV is 2500cc. The Expiratory Reserve Volume (ERV) is the quantity of air that is expelled from the lungs during a maximal forced expiration that begins at the end of a normal expiration. The trace for vital capacity shows a reading of 900cc for ERV. The normal value of ERV is 1500cc. The Vital Capacity (VC) is the total volume of air that is expelled from the lungs during a forced maximal exhalation that occurs after a forced maximal inhalation. The trace for vital capacity shows a direct VC reading of 4100cc. The normal value for VC is 4800cc. The depth of breathing at the start of the experiment is shown in the trace for CO2 accumulation part A. The TV reading is 1000cc. The depth of breathing at the end of the experiment is shown in the trace for CO2 accumulation part B. The TV reading is 1500cc. The frequency of breathing at the beginning of the experiment is shown in the trace for CO2 accumulation part A. The frequency at the beginning is 10 breaths per minute. The frequency of breathing at the end of the experiment is shown is the trace for CO2 accumulation part B. ... The depth of breathing at the start of the experiment is shown in the trace for CO2 accumulation part A. The TV reading is 1000cc. The depth of breathing at the end of the experiment is shown in the trace for CO2 accumulation part B. The TV reading is 1500cc. Frequency of Breathing at the Start and End of the Experiment The frequency of breathing at the beginning of the experiment is shown in the trace for CO2 accumulation part A. The frequency at the beginning is 10 breaths per minute. The frequency of breathing at the end of the experiment is shown is the trace for CO2 accumulation part B. The frequency at the end of the experiment is 17 breaths per minute. Sensations of Subject at the End of the Experiment Subject reports a slight feeling of breathlessness at the end of the experiment and reports the sensation of shallowness of normal breathing. EFFECT OF REBREATHING WITH CARBON DIOXIDE ABSORPTION The two traces that show the effects of rebreathing with carbon dioxide absorption are shown in the diagrams labelled CO2 Absorption Part A and CO2 Absorption Part B. Depth of Breathing at the Start and End of the Experiment The depth of breathing at the start of the experiment is shown in the trace for CO2 absorption part A. The TV reading is 1000cc. The depth of breathing at the end of the experiment is shown in the trace for CO2 absorption part B. The TV reading ranges from 1200cc to 1500cc. Frequency of Breathing at the Start and End of the Experiment The frequency of breathing at the beginning of the experiment is shown in the trace for CO2 absorption part A. The frequency at the beginning is 12 breaths per minute. The frequency of breathing at the end of the experiment is shown is the trace for CO2 absorption part B. The frequency at the

Cleopatras hand Essay Example for Free

Cleopatras hand Essay After listening to Cleopatras poor advice he then flees the battle to follow her, his heart. Once Antony has recovered from the embarrassment of fleeing battle he regains the upper hand in a violent scene with a messenger from Caesar who has kissed Cleopatras hand. This scene parallels a similar scene between Cleopatra and a messenger when she found out about Antonys marriage to Octavia. Throughout the argument there are recurrent references to food, love and the supernatural. The hyperbolic language is an open expression of their excessive love and passion for each other. Antony shouts and makes a lot of noise throughout the argument as he is trying to regain his once respected position. He is totally aware of the fact he is loosing power to Cleopatra this is why he is acting in such an arrogant manner toward the messenger and his lover. In Act three scenes eight, nine and ten the battle of Actium is about to begin and there is fierce fighting and violence in the next three scenes but the audience would not see this as it is set offshore. In Act four Scene twelve Antony is infuriated as the Egyptian fleet has surrendered and he feels Cleopatra has betrayed him. He takes a very Roman view of Cleopatra and refers to her as a witch. Antony foresees his own demise and this is delivered to us through imagery in his speech; Osun, thy uprise shall I see no more. This is suggesting Antonys thoughts about his suicide. The two lovers have a bitter quarrel in which Antony uses very graphic imagery for example; Octavia plough they visage up/ With her prepared nails! Cleopatra flees in terror and goes to her monument. The uses of hyperbolical and simple language throughout this scene show the contrast between the two main characters in their struggle for power. At the end of this scene Antony has the upper hand as Cleopatra has left, but she soon regains power over him. Act four Scene fourteen shows Antony at a remarkably low point. Mardian, a messenger from Cleopatra brings news of her death and Antony decides it must be the end for him too. But Cleopatra is not actually dead. Even in Antonys low times his soldiers would rather die than kill him as we find out when Eros kills himself. Even as Antony falls on his sword he is making reference to love and sex: A bridegroom in my death and run intot / As to a lovers bed. Cleopatras power over him it at its most evident when he kills himself because of her death. Whilst he is bleeding to death he finds out that she is not dead and has a very unusual reaction. It shows his great love for her yet again, even thought she had lead him to make the most flawed decision possible, killing himself. Even in Act four Scene fifteen, Antonys death scene, we are aware of Cleopatras power over Antony. She takes control and wants to speak even though Antony is dying, interrupting his dying words; No, let me speak Cleopatra says this so she can have the final word, though this is not intended as she does love him. As Antony is dying he speaks about himself in the third person, giving himself a regal address to prove he has achieved honour even if it is in death. Not Caesars valour hath oerthrown Antony,/But Antonys hath triumphd on itself. Cleopatra changes her tone considerably after Antonys death. She becomes very subdued and dignified which leads to a restrained end to a tempestuous scene. Cleopatra ends the play in Act five with all the power, as Antony is dead and she still has the final scene to herself which is very unusual as a female character is never given the final scene. She has achieved power over Antony in his life and his death proving she is a domineering and ingenious woman, much to the Romans disapproval. In conclusion, Shakespeares handling of the balance of power is wonderfully documented through the plot of the play and through his use of language. The lifestyle enjoyed by Antony and Cleopatra is shown through the hyperbolical poetry.

Analyzing Love in Ovids Metamorphoses :: Ovid Metamorphoses Essays

Analyzing Love in Ovid's Metamorphoses There are many differences in the behavior of the lover and the rapist characters of the Metamorphoses. " The standard markers of a love relationship include the initial 'love at first sight' scene, often followed by a personal elegy of the loved one's heightened qualities." (Chen) When one falls in love, everything about that person is wonderful and beautiful, including their inner being as well. The admirer uses frequent and excessive metaphors and compliments to describe the favorite: " He looks at Daphne's hair as,unadorned, it hangs down her fair neck, and says: "Just think,if she should comb her locks!" He sees her lips and never tries of them; her fingers' hands' and wrists are unsurpassed; her arms-more than half-bare- cannot be matched; whatever he can't see he can imagine." (Ovid p.900) Daphnes 'unadorned' hair already enchants Apollo, and dreaming it all made up would simply be breathtaking. " Certainly, the next detail, that Daphne's eyes sparkle like stars,clues us into the fact that Apollo is in love. The difference between love and lust, however, is that to the one in love, that person is truly beautiful both physically and on the inside, but the to the one that is lustful, that person is just a mere sex object. For example, in the myth of Io and Jove, Jupiter never comments about Io's beauty, but only that she would make some lucky male happy in bed. " Another defining attribute among many of Ovid's love-struck protagonists is their loss of rational control,as believably characteristic of a person in the heights of love." (Chen) For example, while Dapne is fleeing from him, Apollo asks her to slow down before she hurts herself. He even suggest that he will slow down too, so that she doesn't need to go so fast. But when she doesn't, all he does is speed up. In trying to talked to the loved one, the shunned lover uses any rhetoric available, whether rational or irrational, because often the lover is so overtaked by love that reason fails him. "Such irrationalities in thought lead to special pleading, inconsistency in bargaining, and ultimately failure to convince the adored one. Analyzing Love in Ovid's Metamorphoses :: Ovid Metamorphoses Essays Analyzing Love in Ovid's Metamorphoses There are many differences in the behavior of the lover and the rapist characters of the Metamorphoses. " The standard markers of a love relationship include the initial 'love at first sight' scene, often followed by a personal elegy of the loved one's heightened qualities." (Chen) When one falls in love, everything about that person is wonderful and beautiful, including their inner being as well. The admirer uses frequent and excessive metaphors and compliments to describe the favorite: " He looks at Daphne's hair as,unadorned, it hangs down her fair neck, and says: "Just think,if she should comb her locks!" He sees her lips and never tries of them; her fingers' hands' and wrists are unsurpassed; her arms-more than half-bare- cannot be matched; whatever he can't see he can imagine." (Ovid p.900) Daphnes 'unadorned' hair already enchants Apollo, and dreaming it all made up would simply be breathtaking. " Certainly, the next detail, that Daphne's eyes sparkle like stars,clues us into the fact that Apollo is in love. The difference between love and lust, however, is that to the one in love, that person is truly beautiful both physically and on the inside, but the to the one that is lustful, that person is just a mere sex object. For example, in the myth of Io and Jove, Jupiter never comments about Io's beauty, but only that she would make some lucky male happy in bed. " Another defining attribute among many of Ovid's love-struck protagonists is their loss of rational control,as believably characteristic of a person in the heights of love." (Chen) For example, while Dapne is fleeing from him, Apollo asks her to slow down before she hurts herself. He even suggest that he will slow down too, so that she doesn't need to go so fast. But when she doesn't, all he does is speed up. In trying to talked to the loved one, the shunned lover uses any rhetoric available, whether rational or irrational, because often the lover is so overtaked by love that reason fails him. "Such irrationalities in thought lead to special pleading, inconsistency in bargaining, and ultimately failure to convince the adored one.

Fast food

Fast Food Currently, most of the people depend on fast food which is easily accessible rather than cooking food at home which is a time consuming task. Fast food is the most popular food in America. Does fast food proves to be a healthy option for a daily purpose? Is fast food healthy? Being an argumentative topic this term â€Å"fast food† comes up with many questions. Fast food is a quick way of filling up your stomach but it is followed by many unknown and known disadvantages. As a peek in the â€Å"Consumers reports on fast food: four big names lose† from the book â€Å"TheNorton Field Guide to Writing†, the reporter mentions that † Next time you have a craving for fast food, think twice before slowing down for Burger King, KFC, McDonald's, or Taco Bell†. The fast food restaurants the reporter mentioned here, are the most famous and renowned places, where the consumer is attracted to eat due to food and low prices. In my opinion there is only one reason why anyone should rely on fast food couple of times and that is time saving. It saves time. But there are many other reasons as surveyed by the reporters for people to be attracted towards fast food.One major reason is the low prices. As also mentioned in the research named â€Å"Fast foods† from the â€Å"Black book† by â€Å"Emanuel Goldman- Alfred L. Simon†, that, â€Å"McDonald's might not be ready with the problems with its chicken†. But, if we see as a whole the prices of McDonald's are very low which hides the fact that there have been many issues with the chicken it use. People are attracted to McDonald's even today for their meals. There are many problems caused due to the regular intake of fast foods. Some serious problems are Obesity, weight gain, type two diabetes, coronary artery disease and PCOD.Obesity is one of the most common and erious problems found in Americans. This problem is a clear and direct result of the lifestyle in Ameri ca. The habit of substituting meals with the fast food gives a birth to obesity in an individual. In the Journal, â€Å"Fast Food: Unfriendly and Unhealthy' from â€Å"International Journal of Obesity', the author S Stender, J Dyerberg, and A Astrup has given the example of a documentary film ‘super-size me', where the character Mr. Spurlock ate McDonald's food thrice a day for 30 days and gained 11 kg.This film raises a question that whether fast food poses a special health risk. This is a very mportant question to be answered for all the fast food lovers. The other problems like PCOD and diabetes are a result of fats food intake. The Polycystic ovarian disease found in most of the women these days is caused due to the weight gain. This weight gain is a result of our food habits, like consumption of fast food on a regular basis. Another reason for the increased craving for fast food among the kids is the fast food ads which are made graphically innovative so as to attract t he kids.The recent study shown by â€Å"The Washington Post† in their program, â€Å"Trying to Cut Back on Fast Food Ads for kids†Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ mentioned that the obesity in kids of age group 6-11 has gone down because some fast food chains have cut down in their advertising. This statement shows that the advertisements and obesity in kids are directly proportional to each other. This is a strategic advertisement plan for the fast food agencies to make profit. They invest more on advertisements targeting the kids as their main audience and are women.Young women are facing many problems due to the intake of fast foods. In a Journal â€Å"Dieting Behaviors of Young Women Post-College Graduation†, the uthors â€Å"Soliah, LuAnn Walter, Janele Antosh and Deeanna†, had conducted a survey that included questions about the eating habits of women and their psychological affinity for food. The conclusion of the survey was not shocking but very obvious that three groups of women appeared to be at an increased risk of unhealthy eating and poor food selection decisions.The unhealthy food here is the fast food. Fast food is the most selling food worldwide. There are many reasons one cannot avoid the fast food. Good taste is one of the biggest reasons. Low prices are another reason which attracts the consumer. Fast food has become the regular meal of people. Whenever I visit any food chain I can see a bunch of people spending their valuable money on something which could be harmful for their health. The conclusion, henceforth, is very clear that fast food is not healthy in any terms.Fast food consumed results in many problems which are ignored by the fast food consumers. America faces most of the consequences of eating fast food on a regular basis. Some problems are very serious like obesity and diabetes which are a direct result of fast food consumption. It is still not late for the people to put a light on the articles and surveys conducted n the fas t food being a disaster and learn a lesson through their results. Fast food industries should be responsible enough to advertise less or make their food healthy instead of cheesy and greasy.An individual should keep a track on their diet decisions rationing them with their daily intake fast food and other diet. The comparison would be very useful for an individual to realize how to make their health and wealth lives longer and strong. Fast Food odBradd DentFast Food Nation Questions Introduction America’s fast food industry was founded by self made man who took risk, worked hard, some not even going to collage. Today the industry relies on a low-paid and unskilled workforce, where a handful are able to rise up the corporate ladder, while the vast majority lack fulltime employment, receive no benefits, and end up quitting after a few months. The fast food industry prospered over the last 30 years because minimum wage was lowered, marking was directed at children, federal agencies meant to protect workers and consumers ended up working for the companies, and corporations worked with congress to oppose laws that didn’t help them. The â€Å"American world view† is embodied in fast food because it takes advantage of those who don’t know any better. Chapter 1 The element of car based restaurants like the ones started in Southern California encouraged the spread of fast food because they had good food, became successful, and were very popular among young people. Chapter 2 Disney and Kroc were similar because they both used science to sell their products, made up famous mascots to sell products and both focused selling to kids. They were different because Disney founded his company, and Kroc bought his, they sold different products, and Kroc wasn’t involved in politics, while Disney was. Their companies cooperated when McDonald’s agreed to sell Disney toys and Disney agreed to allow McDonald’s in Disneyland. The fast food industry started with billboard ads to attract kids and evolved to adverting every where, from TV, to the internet, to school hallways. They also make the restaurants themselves fun for kids with play places and selling toys so they want to go more, and even as adults bring their own kids. Personally, I don’t think it is ethical to advertise in schools because it fast food is unhealthy and kids should be learning that, not that the burgers at McDonald’s get and A in taste. Chapter 3 Most employees of fast food restaurants ate teenagers because most are willing to work long hours with little pay. Fast food corporations relentlessly stop their workers from unionizing by doing things like integrating workers with information about a possible union with lie detectors, or closing locations with unions and opening new locations near by. Working conditions at fast food restaurants are unsafe. Typical dangers the employees face ate slips, fall, cuts, burns, and robberies. Problems are dealt with by increasing security with cameras or more parking lot lights. If I worked at a fast food restaurant and I injured my self, I might not tell my manager because I could loose my job because they could blame me for the injury. Chapter 4 The advantages of starting your own business is if it is successful, you could get a lot of money, not to mention you are your own boss so no one besides the government tells you how to run your business. The disadvantages are the business could be unsuccessful and you could loose a lot of money. The advantages of working for someone else are you do not have to make too many tough decisions. The disadvantages are you will not make as much money as your boss, and you may not like your boss for whatever reason. Some legal issues that fast food franchises have been involved in are the Coble’s Bill which makes franchises obey the principles other companies follow. The Subway fast food franchise was involved in the SBA which helps restaurants by giving them government funds. Subway got involved and made it so they would get extra money. Chapter 5 Family farms are disappearing because industry farms take all the business and close family farms because they have no one to sell to. there are only a few small potato farms left because industries take up all the land and business. The take-over of agricultural farms effects communities because local farms go out of business and communities become dependent on the corporate farm. Chapter 6 Development and fast food farms take land and effects cattle pastures because there is less land for the cattle to graze. Since most cowboys and ranchers have gone out of business, they have become irreverent in today’s culture. The government set up the Sherman Antitrust Act and a congressional investigation in the meet packing industry to help ranchers. Later, the Reagan administration allowed the top four meat packing firms to merge and they took over the cattle markets. Corporate domination affected family farms by forcing them to work for them or go out of business. Self-reliance is still a viable goal for Americans, but has become very difficult because of big corporations. The fast food industry makes chicken farmers work for them or they would get no business. In farm culture, the land is a tangible connection to the past, meant to be handed down and not sold. To native Americans, the land meant life and prosperity. In traditional Irish culture, the land is a link to past generations and to loose the land meant to fail your relatives. Their concept of land is similar to the American concept. Chapter 7 The demands of the fast food industry changed towns by making is so almost everyone ends up eating fast food because the industries are aloud to put their restaurants wherever they want and advertise as much as they want until the town’s economy runs on the fast food restaurants. Chapter 8 Meatpacking is dangerous because of the machines and rarely cleaned cutting tools. Since a meatpacking manager’s bonus is based in part on injury rate, many injuries go unreported and the worker is either given an easer job to takes time off to recover. Chapter 9 The meat packing and meat processing industry has been a spreader of disease because the animals are not screened well enough or sick workers spreading disease on the animals. After reading about the pathogens in hamburger meat, I am concerned about food poisoning in fast food. E. coli is not common in restaurant food, but is likely to be in hamburger meat. Chapter 10 Many Americans are obese because of lack of information and improper food laws. Fast food probably plays a big part in obesity because it provides unhealthy food to almost every where. Americans are probably more obese than other countries because fast food started here. Fast food companies increase the size of their meals to effect the calorie count look better for the per serving part. This effects American health because it is misguiding and you eat more than you thought you were going to. People in other countries do not want fast food because they have seen its effect on America. Epilogue The free market Schosser talks about leaves workers unprotected with little interference from the government. In the quote, Schosser is referring to the free market. I agree to what Schlosser says on 216. I believe the government needs to work harder to protect both the workers and consumers of fast food. At the end of the Epilogue, the author remedies his criticisms with the fact that it is a persons choice to eat want. Afterword Mad Cow disease is a disease that slowly destroys the brain and can be spread through hamburger meat. It can be controlled by feeding cows grass instead of corn and hormones, and inspecting the meat better. Cattle get infected by it because they stand in the dung of an effected cattle. It is a very serous threat to humans. Fast food Fast Food Currently, most of the people depend on fast food which is easily accessible rather than cooking food at home which is a time consuming task. Fast food is the most popular food in America. Does fast food proves to be a healthy option for a daily purpose? Is fast food healthy? Being an argumentative topic this term â€Å"fast food† comes up with many questions. Fast food is a quick way of filling up your stomach but it is followed by many unknown and known disadvantages. As a peek in the â€Å"Consumers reports on fast food: four big names lose† from the book â€Å"TheNorton Field Guide to Writing†, the reporter mentions that † Next time you have a craving for fast food, think twice before slowing down for Burger King, KFC, McDonald's, or Taco Bell†. The fast food restaurants the reporter mentioned here, are the most famous and renowned places, where the consumer is attracted to eat due to food and low prices. In my opinion there is only one reason why anyone should rely on fast food couple of times and that is time saving. It saves time. But there are many other reasons as surveyed by the reporters for people to be attracted towards fast food.One major reason is the low prices. As also mentioned in the research named â€Å"Fast foods† from the â€Å"Black book† by â€Å"Emanuel Goldman- Alfred L. Simon†, that, â€Å"McDonald's might not be ready with the problems with its chicken†. But, if we see as a whole the prices of McDonald's are very low which hides the fact that there have been many issues with the chicken it use. People are attracted to McDonald's even today for their meals. There are many problems caused due to the regular intake of fast foods. Some serious problems are Obesity, weight gain, type two diabetes, coronary artery disease and PCOD.Obesity is one of the most common and erious problems found in Americans. This problem is a clear and direct result of the lifestyle in Ameri ca. The habit of substituting meals with the fast food gives a birth to obesity in an individual. In the Journal, â€Å"Fast Food: Unfriendly and Unhealthy' from â€Å"International Journal of Obesity', the author S Stender, J Dyerberg, and A Astrup has given the example of a documentary film ‘super-size me', where the character Mr. Spurlock ate McDonald's food thrice a day for 30 days and gained 11 kg.This film raises a question that whether fast food poses a special health risk. This is a very mportant question to be answered for all the fast food lovers. The other problems like PCOD and diabetes are a result of fats food intake. The Polycystic ovarian disease found in most of the women these days is caused due to the weight gain. This weight gain is a result of our food habits, like consumption of fast food on a regular basis. Another reason for the increased craving for fast food among the kids is the fast food ads which are made graphically innovative so as to attract t he kids.The recent study shown by â€Å"The Washington Post† in their program, â€Å"Trying to Cut Back on Fast Food Ads for kids†Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ mentioned that the obesity in kids of age group 6-11 has gone down because some fast food chains have cut down in their advertising. This statement shows that the advertisements and obesity in kids are directly proportional to each other. This is a strategic advertisement plan for the fast food agencies to make profit. They invest more on advertisements targeting the kids as their main audience and are women.Young women are facing many problems due to the intake of fast foods. In a Journal â€Å"Dieting Behaviors of Young Women Post-College Graduation†, the uthors â€Å"Soliah, LuAnn Walter, Janele Antosh and Deeanna†, had conducted a survey that included questions about the eating habits of women and their psychological affinity for food. The conclusion of the survey was not shocking but very obvious that three groups of women appeared to be at an increased risk of unhealthy eating and poor food selection decisions.The unhealthy food here is the fast food. Fast food is the most selling food worldwide. There are many reasons one cannot avoid the fast food. Good taste is one of the biggest reasons. Low prices are another reason which attracts the consumer. Fast food has become the regular meal of people. Whenever I visit any food chain I can see a bunch of people spending their valuable money on something which could be harmful for their health. The conclusion, henceforth, is very clear that fast food is not healthy in any terms.Fast food consumed results in many problems which are ignored by the fast food consumers. America faces most of the consequences of eating fast food on a regular basis. Some problems are very serious like obesity and diabetes which are a direct result of fast food consumption. It is still not late for the people to put a light on the articles and surveys conducted n the fas t food being a disaster and learn a lesson through their results. Fast food industries should be responsible enough to advertise less or make their food healthy instead of cheesy and greasy.An individual should keep a track on their diet decisions rationing them with their daily intake fast food and other diet. The comparison would be very useful for an individual to realize how to make their health and wealth lives longer and strong.

The Louvre

With a surface of 210,000 m2 of them are devoted to exhibitions. This museum holds 35,000 masterpieces and eight different collections. To be able to visit the entire museum I had to go several times and take over from where I left. What really fascinated me and grab my attention is the Egyptian antiquity section. I was charmed about this because it had all the details about the volution and life style of this wonderful and fascinating culture and civilization.I'm personally very interested in studying the Egyptian civilization and knowing all the aspect of this culture and this exhibition gathered all the necessary information that I needed and I asked to have. The evolution of this civilization was in front of me in the same place. It was a dream that became a reality. I had all the tools that they used In their dally lives In front of me, I couldn't believe my eyes. I was watching their dresses and their makeup and Jewelry.I was fascinated about their Inventions and creations that Inspired us and still Inspiring us till today. The Department of Egyptian Antiquities at the Louvre museum houses a major Egyptologlcal collections of the world with 50,000 rooms. This section covered every single detail about this amazing people. The collection covers all periods of ancient Egyptian civilization since the time of Nagada to the Roman and Coptic Egypt. Among the most famous exhibits found at the time of Nagada knife Gebel el-Arak and the range of hunting.The major piece of art illustrating the time thinite is the stele of King Snake. Among all exposed sarcophagi, one finds that of Dioscorides, a Greek general during the reign of Ptolemy VI who decided to be buried according to ancient Egyptian local customs, choosing to do make a sarcophagus. This proved the power of this civilization and how It Influenced others clvlllzatlons. I also liked the Islamic art section since It's about my religion.The Department of Islamic Art from the Louvre, stablished in August 2003, brings together the collections from an area between Spain and India, dating from the origins of Islamic civilization (622) until the nineteenth century. This department includes several gems of Islamic art: the al- Pyxis Mughira an ivory box dated Spanish 968, the flat peacock, an important Ottoman ceramics, especially the baptistery of St. Louis, one of the most famous pieces and most enigmatic of all Islamic art, created by Muhammad ibn al-Zayn the early fourteenth century.Since 22 September 2012, Islamic art are exhibited at the Louvre in the Cour Visconti. This space allows the display of 3000 works from the collections of the Louvre, but also the Mus ©e des Arts d ©coratifs. It is remarkable how this section take place under a canopy with undulating shapes, recalling from the architects Marlo Belllnl and Rudy Ricclottl a â€Å"dragonfly wing† or a â€Å"flying carpet†. Vlsltlng this museum was a very enriching and fascinating experience where I learned a lot of new things about the civilization that I'm most passionate about and my own rellglon

The Bad Old Days - Porridge

The Bad Old Days - Porridge From the Hoax: In those old days, they cooked in the kitchen with a big kettle that always hung over the fire. Every day they lit the fire and added things to the pot. They ate mostly vegetables and did not get much meat. They would eat the stew for dinner, leaving leftovers in the pot to get cold overnight and then start over the next day. Sometimes the stew had food in it that had been there for quite a while -hence the rhyme, Peas porridge hot, peas porridge cold, peas porridge in the pot nine days old. The Facts In peasant cottages, there was no kitchen in which to cook. The poorest families had only one room where they cooked, ate, worked, and slept. It is also possible that most of these extremely poor families owned only one kettle. Poor town-dwellers usually didnt even have that, and obtained most of their meals ready-made from shops and street vendors in the Medieval version of fast-food.1 Those who lived on the edge of starvation had to make use of every edible item they could find, and just about everything could go into the pot (often a footed kettle that rested in the fire rather than over it) for the evening meal.2 This included beans, grains, vegetables, and sometimes meat often bacon. Using a little meat in this manner would make it go further as sustenance. The resulting stew was called pottage, and it was the basic element of the peasant diet. And yes, sometimes the remains of one days cooking would be used in the next days fare. (This is true in some modern peasant stew recipes.) But it was not common for food to remain there for nine days or for more than two or three days, for that matter. People living on the edge of starvation were not likely to leave food on their plates or in the pot. Contaminating the carefully-gathered ingredients of a nights supper with rotting nine-day-old remains, thus risking illness, is even more unlikely. What is likely is that leftovers from the evening meal were incorporated into a breakfast that would sustain the hard-working peasant family for much of the day. We have not been able to discover the origin of the peas porridge hot rhyme. It is unlikely to spring from 16th-century life since, according to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, the word porridge did not come into use until the 17th century. Addendum: Lauren Henry writes: A source is The Oxford Dictionary of Nursery Rhymes, edited by Iona and Peter Opie, published by Oxford University Press, 1997, pages 406-409. According to that, the rhyme made fun of a hawkers cry at Bartholomews Fair in the 18th century, documented in a description written by G.A. Stevens in 1762. Notes 1. Carlin, Martha, Fast Food and Urban Living Standards in Medieval England, in Carlin, Martha, and Rosenthal, Joel T., eds., Food and Eating in Medieval Europe (The Hambledon Press, 1998), pp. 27-51. 2. Gies, Frances Gies, Joseph, Life in a Medieval Village (HarperPerennial, 1991), p. 96. The text of this document is copyright  ©2005 Melissa Snell. You may download or print this document for personal or school use, as long as the URL below is included. Permission is  not  granted to reproduce this document on another website. The URL for this document is: www.thoughtco.com/porridge-in-medieval-times-1788710

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buy custom The Bilingual Education essay Bilingual education is a system of education where learners are taught in two languages. They are instructed in their native language and a second language (English). Technically, every schooling system that presents educational material to students in more than one language is bilingual. People who are against this system of education argue that the expense incurred by the government in implementation cannot be justified. The benefits to the learner and the country are many therefore; the system should be highly encouraged. The advantages of a bilingual education system Bilingual system allows learners to appreciate other cultures. Learning in more than a single language gives learners the opportunity to interact with different cultures. Children learn other cultures while maintaining their own culture. The system broadens learners view of thinking as they get exposed to other cultures. Learners also get enriched as their minds open up and broaden due to exposure. In addition to this, children in a multicultural society learn to tolerate other cultures (Garci%u0301a and Hugo 123). Bilingual education system prepares learners to cope with the world. The world has been turned into a global village by technology. There is a greater mobility and communication around the world, which has come with the discovery of new technologies. Larning in more than a single language therefore, develops multitalented individuals. Children are fast learners. Children can grasp grammar, vocabulary and other nuances of non-native language effortlessly. Children have better capabilities to learn a second language than grownups. It is, therefore, healthy to introduce a second language to children at an early age. This system of education helps children to develop their own identity. Children learn their own language, and they appreciate their own roots. Children do not discard their traditions since they are taught in their native (Medina 156). Training learners in a bilingual system reduces the chance of losing content. Content loss is inevitable when learners are taught using a language they do not understand. It is, therefore, healthy to teach content in a language a learner understands for a certain period. Learners can then be taught in English when they have fully learned the language. The system uses resources available as a basis for acquiring knowledge and building of new skills. Teachers use the basic language that the learners has in instruction so as to achieve academic excellence. This is advantageous because schools do not have to train the learner in language before proceeding to introduce other subjects. The learner goes to school ready to learn new concepts. Instrructors may then teach English as a second language at the pace of the learner. The learners native language provides contextual basis for acquiring knowledge in the second language (English). The economic advantage of this system to the learner lies in the job market. Many companies pay a lot of money to employees who can speak more than one language. Such people are needed to handle clientele from diverse origins effectively. The system therefore, develops competitive individuals in the job market. Conclusion In conclusion, the merits of a bilingual education system outweigh demerits. Reforms should be undertaken so that full benefits of the system get realized. Automatic assignment of learners with limited skills in English to bilingual classes should be discontinued. This amounts to dictatorship and discrimination. Parents, who feel the pain of paying fees, need be given a chance to choose programs to enroll their kids. Learners should be given a chance to learn their native language in a class where English is emphasized. English as a second Language is an excellent program that emphasizes English and allows learners to change to mainstream classes. This program therefore, provides an avenue for reforms to bilingual education system. The learners can then switch to English-only classes when they become competent in English language. Buy custom The Bilingual Education essay

Positive vs. Normative Analysis

Positive vs. Normative Analysis While economics is largely an academic discipline, it is quite common for economists to act as business consultants, media analysts, and advisers on government policy. As a result, its very important to understand when economists are making objective, evidence-based statements about how the world works and when they are making value judgments about what policies should be enacted or what business decisions should be made. Positive Analysis Descriptive, factual statements about the world are referred to as positive statements by economists. The term positive isnt used to imply that economists always convey good news, of course, and economists often make very, well, negative-positive statements. Positive analysis, accordingly, uses scientific principles to arrive at objective, testable conclusions. Normative Analysis On the other hand, economists refer to prescriptive, value-based statements as normative statements. Normative statements usually use factual evidence as support, but they are not by themselves factual. Instead, they incorporate the opinions and underlying morals and standards of those people making the statements. Normative analysis refers to the process of making recommendations about what action should be taken or taking a particular viewpoint on a topic. Examples of Positive vs. Normative The distinction between positive and normative statements is easily shown via examples. The statement: The unemployment rate is currently at 9 percent. is a positive statement, since it conveys factual, testable information about the world. Statements such as: The unemployment rate is too high.The government must take action in order to reduce the unemployment rate. are normative statements, since they include value judgments and are of a prescriptive nature. Its important to understand that, despite the fact that the two normative statements above are intuitively related to the positive statement, they cannot be logically inferred from the objective information provided. (In other words, they dont have to be true given that the unemployment rate is at 9 percent.) How to Effectively Disagree With an Economist People seem to like disagreeing with economists (and, in fact, economists often seem to enjoy disagreeing with one another), so its important to understand the distinction between positive and normative in order to disagree effectively. To disagree with a positive statement, one must bring other facts to the table or question the economists methodology. In order to disagree with the positive statement about unemployment above, for example, one would have to make the case that the unemployment rate isnt actually 9 percent. One could do this either by providing different unemployment data or by performing different calculations on the original data. To disagree with a normative statement, one can either dispute the validity of the positive information used to reach the value judgment or can argue the merits of the normative conclusion itself. This becomes a more murky type of debate  since there is no objective right and wrong when it comes to normative statements. In a perfectly organized world, economists would be pure scientists who perform only positive analysis and exclusively convey factual, scientific conclusions, and policymakers and consultants would take the positive statements and develop normative recommendations. In reality, however, economists often play both of these roles, so its important to be able to distinguish fact from opinion, i.e. positive from normative.

Produce a research poster of A2 size on a commodity Essay

Produce a research poster of A2 size on a commodity - Essay Example Its corrosion resistance nature and ability to be shaped easily makes it a perfect material for roofing materials and drink cans (Kaushish, 2010). On the other hand, its low-density nature makes it effective for making window frames and building greenhouses. Aluminum is also a good heat conductor. This aspect makes it perfect for making cookware, cookers and boilers. Additionally, aluminum is mostly used as overhead power cables due to its good conduction of electricity (International Conference on Steel and Aluminium Structures & Lau, 2011). Lastly, the high reflectivity nature makes aluminum ideal for making reflectors, mirrors and firefighting. There are two sources of aluminum namely bauxite and recycling. In this case, bauxite remains the most common material that is mostly used in producing virgin aluminum (Prashad, 2006). Common bauxite-producing nations include Guinea, Australia, Brazil, China and Jamaica. Australia tends to produce at least 2.5 times of bauxite than other nations. Recycling also remains an important aluminum source. Alumina prices tend to influence its demand and supply. Additionally, the electricity prices influences its demand and supply (Kaushish, 2010). China remains the biggest aluminum importers in the market. Aluminum supply and demand in China depends on consumer preferences in the product. Common factors affecting aluminum price elasticity include number of substitute’s products, switching costs between products, strength of the product, time allowed after change in prices and consumer’s income percentage that is allocated to the product expenditure (Schmitz, Domagala, & Haag, 2006). An alternative for aluminum is the magnesium alloys. In this case, magnesium has the potential of meeting its current demands for reliable and lighter construction. Magnesium is a perfect alternative since they have comparable specific stiffness (Prashad, 2006). They also have higher energy consumption and specific strengths, which enable

Developments in Social Networking Sites Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Developments in Social Networking Sites - Essay Example The initial purpose of these sites, which was to enhance social interactions, has spilled over in a great magnitude and is influencing all aspects of society including politics, economics, environment, and ethics. Moreover, this effect is expanding exponentially due to ongoing research and consistent development of these sites. The terms ‘A web of networks’, ‘Age of Connections’ and ‘Human Web’, all ring familiar as well-known descriptions of this century. These terms however, also ring ironic as simultaneously one can argue that ours is an age of individualization, social fragmentation, and independence. â€Å"The world may never have been freer, but it has also never been so interconnected and interdependent† (Mulgan, pp. 1, 1997). It can be argued that this conflict in evaluation may be partially due to the literal web of networks that is the internet that keeps us interconnected and constantly updated on each other’s lives, whe ther it is through a Tweet or a picture upload on Facebook. Therefore, with mobility of work and fragmentation of lives, social media has developed as a response to a need for contact accounting for its growing momentum of impact. In a standard definition, social media is a type of online media that â€Å"expedites conversation as opposed to traditional media, which delivers content but does not allow readers, viewers, and listeners to participate in the creation or development of the content† (Durham, pp. 1-3, 2011). Instead of people meeting each other and communicating face-to face or even picking up the telephone, people talk to each other on Facebook thus rendering social interactions and relationships empty and superficial and that these sites may be turning us into introverted computer geeks. Dr. Burke however argues as to how social media brings us together despite the criticism. "There's a sense of connection between people that's built through social media. And I th ink that some people who may not feel the ability to do that in a face-to-face way or in a classroom can excel in building some interpersonal relationships though social  media" (Durham, pp.2, 2011). Despite a regulated level of intimacy and depth, one cannot downplay the need and importance of social networking sites. They have arisen in a time when there is a threat to interaction due to time and space. Thus, considering that the social effect of these networking sites is established, the question arises as to how and why these sites continue to influence all other fields of life. Take for example, the London Riots and the central role that Facebook and Twitter played in them. In fact, some newspapers and commentators were quick to blame social networking sites for initiating the riots and gathering the masses by re tweeting pictures of burning cars and encouraging more people in the area. Twitter has developed an option where people by simply typing in #Londonriots could gather scores of information and opinions on the site about the riots (Williams, 2011). Such a mob mentality on a virtual level shows how social media has savvied politics. Another blatant example of the connection between social media and politics comes from Philippines in 2001 during the impeachment trial of President Estrada. â€Å"Less than two hours after the announcement of the decision, crowds of enraged Filipinos gathered on Epifanio de los Santos Avenue. On a large basis, text messages and forwards reading ‘Goto ESDA, wear blck’

Old dependency ratio(demography) Lab Report Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Old dependency ratio(demography) - Lab Report Example The question remains, what other factors are likely to be varied, simultaneously, along the change? How have people’s behavior been adjusted and in what manners? Whether the high dependency ratio is a burden on working population or the situation is merely another social outcome of the demographic transition; without concluding it to be negative or positive? Figure.1 is a diagram of historical data, projecting â€Å"old dependency ratio† in U.S. As graph shows, old dependency ratio has been substantially raised historically due to both lower fertility and reduced mortality of old population. It is anticipated to sharply increase after 2010s. From year 1950 to 2010 the ODR changed from a value of 0.14 to 0.22, where as the likely jump for the period from 2010 to 2030 will be from a value of 0.22 to 0.35 (all figures are noted approximately) (the change for 20 years after 2010 is almost double the change between 1950 and 2010). The projected sharp increase (from 2010 to 2030) can be interpreted as a result of post WWII baby boom from 1946-1964. From 2010s, some of the babies born between 1946 and 1964 will be over 65. The diagram indicates that during this period there will be a huge financial burden on rest of the population (the working population). However, it is pre-mature to assume a negative situation without further investigation into more details. Something favorable might be happening as a consequence of demographic changes in the population ratios of the old and young. There are factors which might change as consequence of change in the old dependency ratio. This change might be helpful rather than being adverse. First of all, let us look at the historical data of expenditure on education. Table 1 and Table 2 show the yearly expenditure on education as well as income over the years. Table 1 shows this data on the

The Theory of Population Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Theory of Population - Assignment Example The term population cohort is even recognized as population pyramid and this concept forwards the notion that a particular population comprises of organisms that are similar in nature and interbreed in a particular area. The theory states that population changes in three different stages including the growth stage in which population experiences an increase as a result of abundant sources for nutrition and low competition for those sources. The second stage is the stability stage in which population growth increases at a stable rate because of the decrease in resources and increase in competition. The third stage is the decline in which the population growth decreases as a result of lack of resources and ultimately the population comes to an end. The term Islam is used to refer to the submission to what the God wills. This means that the believers in the religion of Islam give precedence to the God’s will over their own will in various endeavors of their life including daily activities, believes and ideas. The term Muslim is used to refer to an individual who follows the religion of Islam and is an individual who has surrendered himself to their God called Allah. This means that a Muslim is an individual who has given himself in the hands of God and has allowed God to decide what the individual should and should not do. The religion of Islam is based on five pillars that every Muslim has to accept and abide by. These pillars include the belief that there is no other God in this world except Allah. Furthermore, a believer has to worship Allah five times a day while facing towards Mecca. A believer even has to share his earnings with others in the form of charity and observe fast during the holy month of Ramadan. Lastly, a believer who has the physical, as well as monetary ability, should visit Mecca as a form of pilgrimage.

Amazon Incorporation analisys Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Amazon Incorporation analisys - Research Paper Example art from this, Amazon.com also presents millions of ethnic and unique as well as refurbished items of varied categories such as books, movies, music & games, electronics and computers; home & garden; toys; kids and baby; grocery; apparel; shoes and jewelry; health and beauty; sports and outdoor; and tools, auto and industrial and many others. This is one of the prime causes that lead to the development of Amazon.com and also improved its portfolio within the minds of the customers. Side by side, technological innovation also enhanced the growth of Amazon.com in the world among others. Other than this, due to wide range of products, international retail websites, worldwide network of fulfillment along with customer service centers enhanced its growth to a significant extent. This helped Amazon.com to become a Fortune 100 company. Due to which, the economic performance of the organization improved to a certain extent as compared as shown in the below graph: Economic performance of Amaz on.com Thus, due to its vision to expand in numerous countries with the help of internet enhanced the goal of becoming the number one organization in the entire world. 2. SWOT analysis Strength: Amazon is one of the most reputed and profitable organization. In 2005, it enhanced a significant growth due to its wide range of products at a competitive price. Although due to implementation of huge initial set up costs, Amazon suffered high level of loss. However, in order to increase its profit margin, it presented wide range of products at a competitive cost. This acted as a boon for the organization to increase its portfolio and popularity in the online sector. The high level of promotion also helped the customers of Amazon.com to increase its awareness about the products. Customer... Amazon is one of the most reputed and profitable organization. In 2005, it enhanced a significant growth due to its wide range of products at a competitive price. Although due to the implementation of huge initial set up costs, Amazon suffered the high level of loss. However, in order to increase its profit margin, it presented wide range of products at a competitive cost. This acted as a boon for the organization to increase its portfolio and popularity in the online sector. The high level of promotion also helped the customers of Amazon.com to increase its awareness about the products. Customer Relationship Management (CRM) is also another renowned business strategy that improved its net sales and profit margin. Information Technology (IT) also supported Amazon.com to improve its economic performance and growth. Along with this, it also helped the customers to access the site from varied locations in order to attain the products. Amazon is also a global brand and also the original dotcoms due to the presence of the huge range of customer in the entire world. It became the first online retailer due to the presence of e-commerce techniques. This enhanced the performance and ROI of the organization in the world that proved extremely significant for it

The Theory of Population Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Theory of Population - Assignment Example The term population cohort is even recognized as population pyramid and this concept forwards the notion that a particular population comprises of organisms that are similar in nature and interbreed in a particular area. The theory states that population changes in three different stages including the growth stage in which population experiences an increase as a result of abundant sources for nutrition and low competition for those sources. The second stage is the stability stage in which population growth increases at a stable rate because of the decrease in resources and increase in competition. The third stage is the decline in which the population growth decreases as a result of lack of resources and ultimately the population comes to an end. The term Islam is used to refer to the submission to what the God wills. This means that the believers in the religion of Islam give precedence to the God’s will over their own will in various endeavors of their life including daily activities, believes and ideas. The term Muslim is used to refer to an individual who follows the religion of Islam and is an individual who has surrendered himself to their God called Allah. This means that a Muslim is an individual who has given himself in the hands of God and has allowed God to decide what the individual should and should not do. The religion of Islam is based on five pillars that every Muslim has to accept and abide by. These pillars include the belief that there is no other God in this world except Allah. Furthermore, a believer has to worship Allah five times a day while facing towards Mecca. A believer even has to share his earnings with others in the form of charity and observe fast during the holy month of Ramadan. Lastly, a believer who has the physical, as well as monetary ability, should visit Mecca as a form of pilgrimage.

Financing New Ventures Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Financing New Ventures - Assignment Example This has paved way for diversification in investment According to (Harrington, 1987) it allows the investor to avoid unsystematic risks such as poor management of the company which will automatically lead to returns not being realized. From this model a linear relationship has been developed to show the relationship between systematic risk and the expected return. As compared to weighted average cost of capital (WACC) this model gives a robust discount rate that can be used for assessing the investment. Using WACC a project can be turned down when its internal rate of return is less that of WACC. This is because WACC is based on the assumption that any investment doesn’t have an effect to financial and business risk. Using CAPM, gives internal rate of return that is higher than the security market line and a return that can minimize or eliminate system risk. CAPM is considered as the best tool to calculate the cost of equity as compared Dividend Growth Model (DGM). This is because it takes into account the systematic risk level of the business relative to stock market. Portfolio effect refers to the addition of other investment into the portfolio with aim of reducing risk. This can be termed as diversification of portfolio such that change in the value of one investment e.g. bond in the portfolio there will be a response to change in the value of other assets in the portfolio. Portfolio effect has the ability to minimize a specific risk attached to an asset in a given portfolio, but this depends or lies on the degree of correlation of assets held in the portfolio (Hirt & Block, 1990). Diversifying portfolio can be achieved in either horizontal or vertical diversification both will help to reduce the risk associated to a given asset, vertical diversification occurs when an investor decides to add different form of assets or securities in his portfolio e.g. cash, corporate bonds, and building. This is advisable since whenever a

Convention on Prohibition of Biological Weapons Essay Example for Free

Convention on Prohibition of Biological Weapons Essay The ‘Biological Weapons Convention’ (BWC, for short) is an international treaty aimed at stopping the production and use of biological agents that multiply the diseases among people. This treaty is officially termed as the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production and Stockpiling of Bacteriological (Biological) and Toxin Weapons and on Their Destruction. It came into effect in 1975, and by 2000, nearly 150 nations had signed the treaty. By virtue of clauses of the treaty, countries have been prohibited to possess big amounts of biological agents or toxins, and all the systems of weaponry to pass them on. Also all the member nations or the signatories may not trade into biological weapons or help other countries to develop them. It was also made obligatory for the United States and the Soviet Union who conducted experiments to produce biological weapons during the Cold War, a period of non-active hostility between nations after World War II (1939-1945), were called upon to ratify the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC) in 970s. But since the treaty did not provide for the means of verifications or inspections, nations had merely agreed to stand by it in good faith. And it was as early as 2000, when some of the governments had tried to figure out methods to carry out inspection and verification. (Biological Weapons Convention, 2007) Efforts to Avert Germ-warfare through BWC are Proving Hopeless The US has assessed a number of programs through the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) for her defense against probable biological, chemical, and radiological attacks, but the approach is basically aimed at protecting the troops and military equipment. Nearly 100 of the signatories of the Biological Weapons Convention made a review of the progress of BWC in 2002, but to their dismay and worry all of them found the situation quite deplorable and disappointing. Another survey conducted by Amy Smithson of the Centre for Strategic and International Studies, Washington, found that more than 80% of the senior government officials, and congressmen thought that a biological attack in the near future was very likely, especially in view of Al-Qaeda’s revealed rudimentary experiments with ricin and anthrax. And it is also very well known that nearly all antidotes for anthrax do not suffice. Besides, 40% of members had never submitted the required report, which is an utter violation of the BWC rules. Ms Amy Smithson added that had there were more emergent and serious efforts, the things might have moved ahead into Bio-safety and Bio-security. The director of UNIDIR (UNs disarmament research institute in Geneva), Patricia Lewis, commented that although apparently the progress of work over the past few years has proved useful, yet to be more efficient and systematic, there is an ardent need of a foolproof action plan, which, she feared, may not be due until 2008. Is America Safe from Biological Attack? Although huge spending has been made on her bio-defense, the US appears as vulnerable as ever to a concerted terrorist attack. Therefore development of a better strategy and a much stronger defense is simply inconceivable without a change in the policy of federal government. It is also a part of hard American history nearly seven years back when the nation had hardly recovered from the wounds of 9/11, than someone sent Anthrax Spores to reputed Journalists and famed politicians through the US mail. The result was that five people died and more than seventeen got sick, and it was painful to observe that none of the culprits was ever caught. This attack added to the already growing fears in the US, about the hard-liners and bio-terrorists being so determined to spread disease and mayhem across the nation. To combat the threat, the Bush administration launched an unparalleled bio-defense plan, and until today almost $44 billion has been spent by the US federal government for providing protection to the civilians, organizations, and for buying the latest remedies such as the classic smallpox vaccine. â€Å"But the pertinent question is whether this colossal spending has made Americans any safer? † The veterans at the Center for Bio-security at the University of Pittsburgh say that the answer is a big No. â€Å"Denouncing the government efforts as insufficient they hold that the US remains unable to defend itself against any anthrax attack involving more than a few envelopes. So where is the big success†? (Biological Weapons Convention, 2007) One of the many bio-defense efforts made by the administration is the Bio-Shield project, which was launched in 2004, and was aimed at turning drug companies into defense entrepreneurs, delivering products to fight against a potential bio-weapons threat. Although there is much in store for the Project Bio-Shield like a $5. 6 billion package to be spent by 2014 on drugs, yet the pharmaceutical companies, much against expectations haven’t done enough that could accomplish the Bio-Shields objectives. The lukewarm response by these companies has been a cause of perpetrating a bill in the US Congress, in order to make the Bio-Shield a more effective and more viable a project. Has Project Bio-Shield Proved Sufficient for US Bio-defense Needs Apparently the Bio-Shields strategy appears quite prudently designed. â€Å"But companies normally do not cater for remedies for the unique kind of diseases thought most likely to be used as weapons, simply because there are no profits in it†. Resultantly the Project Bio-Shield promises companies to buy them only the special drugs and vaccines that would counter threats of bio-weapons, giving them an option and a free hand to do the rest of job. If such is the case then why there has so far been a very sluggish response is a question which must be answered with firmness if not with finality. (New Scientist, 2003) â€Å"In fact Project BioShield has awarded contracts for 7 products, worth $2 billion. They are: 1. Two for antibody-based therapies for botulism and anthrax. 2. One for 10 million doses of the militarys existing anthrax vaccine. 3. One biggest funding of $878 million has been guaranteed to VaxGen of Brisbane, California, for 75 million doses of a purer, new-generation anthrax vaccine. 4. One order is for 20 million doses of an improved smallpox vaccine from the Danish firm Bavarian Nordic, and 5. Project BioShield has provided $4 million to universities to fund basic pathogen research. Brad Smith of the Center for Bio-security said, The government has never done anything like this before, He also asserted that the department of Homeland Security must first decide what designated threats really are, and only then should the Department of Health commissions drugs or vaccines be designed to protect against them. He added that the diseases it picked so far pertain only to anthrax, botulism and smallpox. However, the targeted one bug, one drug approach has been seen by some experts as basically wrong. A better approach, they say, would be to aim for broad-spectrum remedies that work against many different bacteria or viruses. But then it would be more cost-effective; would offer mere defense blanket against terrorists with whatever their choice of bio-weapon be, and would also come with additional advantage of protection against natural diseases. Tucker remarked, if something works for flu and for bio-weapons as well, why not do that? † (New Scientist, 2003) A recent research by think tanks like Tucker and Andrew Grotto shows that much more effort is yet required. Only seven states and four cities have the capability to administer stockpiled vaccines on a large scale, Tucker said. He added that most Americans live in states that have no plans for dealing with large numbers of casualties caused by contagious diseases. The new bill that was presented before the Congress attempted to address some of these problems i. e. to appoint a new health secretary for public health; to improve the quality of equipment for medical emergencies, and to provide $1 billion as annual funding. But this would not have been enough to solve the delivery problem, or give hospitals the capacity to deal with a surge in patients. Although the bill, presented before Congress, mandated research into new tools and methods for developing drugs and vaccines, yet it did not go ahead in the way to taking Project Bio-Shields focus away from the one bug, one drug strategy and on to a broader spectrum of remedies. But this newest Bio-Shield Project certainly did no go any further to solve the problems of how to get remedies out to any probable and potential victims of the bio-weapons attack. (MacKenzie and Debora, 2006) References Academic Research Premier Can the line against bio-terror hold? 2006 (Economist, 00130613, Vol. 381). Biological Weapons Convention 2007 http://www. worldbookonline. com/wb/Article? id=ar726514st=biological+warfare Accessed, July 7, 2007 Bob. B. 2007 ‘WMD Antidotes Still Go to Iraq’ (National Journal, 03604217, Vol. 39, Issue Lussier, Frances M. 2007 Gas mask. http://www. worldbookonline. com/wb/Article? id=ar217900 Accessed, July 7, 2007 MacKenzie, Debora. 2006. â€Å"Fortress America† (New Scientist: Vol. 191, p18-21) Ross. S. ‘America the Beautifuls Germ Warfare Rash’, Jul/Aug2007 (Humanist, 00187399 Vol. 67, Issue 4)

Sources of Population Data

Sources of Population Data Presented by: Shahroz Ullah Badrana 14-10426 Population is described as the entire collection of the people living in our town, state, region or in a country and the respective characteristics such as age, sex, marital status and gender. Population is an entire group regarding whom we are interested in drawing the conclusions. Basically the population data tell us about the number of people that are living or planned to be living in an area and it is also about the all the number of people belonging to different religions and races living in a specified area. Sources of Population data The most important problem that the social scientists are facing now days is the collection of the accurate, reliable and relevant data. Basically, the subject matter of the population geography is so vast so that’s why the population geographers require large variety and amount of data which pertains to all the attributes of the population. Although, the particular data which is being requires by the population geographers is also dependent upon the issue he is working upon. At the micro level the population geographers collect the primary data whereas on the macro level it is far more beyond the level of any individual to collect the data on all the attributes of the population. So is should say that it is very difficult for an individual to collect data for large area that’s why a population geographer always prefer to look for other official sources for the collection of the data. The primary sources of the population data on the population size, characteristics and demographic structure are the census, projections, the registrations, migration reports and the surveys. Whereas, some of the statistics regarding the population can be produced in the form of secondary sources such as statistical abstracts indeed. In the regard of secondary sources for the collection of population data the United Nation Organization itself is the biggest producer of the Population data. Population Census The population census which is regarded as the most important source of basic data for the population data and it is conducted either decennially or quinquenially. A census count offers us a spectrum of the population at a specific point in time covering a vast range of the economic demographic and social attributes of the very population. Ones we have the process of census in our country then it became a continuous process and repeated in the country after every 5 to 10 years. In modern terms the census is defined as a process of collecting, compiling and publishing the economic, social and demographic data pertaining to all the individuals living in a country at any specific point in time. The first ever complete census of population of data has been conducted in 1881 on a uniform basis throughout the India. So that’s why the census of 1881 has provided complete population data and demographic record for any comparable population. Even now days the modern census also faced a series of limitations according to population geographer Zelinsky countries that have low level of technological achievement faced the problems such as ignorance, suspicion and dishonesty have made the task of census very difficult to perform. Even though, these countries also faced the administrative problem of getting funds for conducting the census. Another most important limitation to the census is the frequent boundary modification both at the international as well as at the regional level. As we all know that the censuses always have a specific reference point in time so if we introduce any boundary modifications then it will strict the utility of census data. In those states where the census take place after every 10 year so in that gap of Ten years a remarkable change occurred in the population. So it is suggested that a sample surveys should be conducted in such countries in order to fill the gaps between the two censuses. The Surveys It is very difficult to distinguish between a census and the survey as there is no clear cut differentiation between both of them. Census is described as the complete national canvass of the whole population of the country whereas the canvass of the selected households with an idea of collecting information regarding demographic attributes and socio economic conditions is regarded as survey indeed. In fact, surveys are conducted for supplementing the census data. In the recent tears the surveys has been conducted in order to collect the information regarding the fertility, mortality, mobility, morbidity, under employment, welfare, health, education and unemployment. Such kind of surveys often include attitudinal question regarding the problems of the population. So we could say that the role of surveys is just to provide explanatory information to the population analysis. Both the private organizations and governments are very much engaged in conducting the surveys. The National Samp le Surveys are conducted in the form of rounds and the each round covers several subjects but the emphasis is made on only one of the subject during a specific period. The Registration The practice of the population registration has been very common even before the emergence of the process of regular census. The Far East has a great demographic tradition of the population registration and its major function is to control the population. In this registration process the family is considered as the basic social unit for keeping record of the population. However, such a record keeping phenomena should have yielded a continuous population register but in reality the compilation has been never made or if made then in inaccessible secret archives. Presently, in the modern world many countries have adopted the registration systems in order to keep the record of deaths, births, marriages, adoptions, divorces etc. In some states it is known as population registers for record keeping. Administrative Records: Basically, these are the statistics that are acquired from the different administrative process. These administrative records not only include the vital events that have been recorded in the civil registration system but it also includes the data on employment, deaths, births, education and health etc. well, the reliability of the data obtained from administrative records is dependent upon the completeness with the classifications and concepts that have been used in the census in order to collect population data. Theses administrative records are regarded as the by-products of the administrative records. The administrative data is collected due to the day to day operations of the organizations and there administrative files can be used as a substitute for census and surveys. [1] Miscellaneous Sources: Other then the sources mentioned above the population geographers also make use of migration reports, projections, estimates and linguistic reports. It has been observed that the United Nations is fulfilling the responsibility of collecting vital population data from the member countries. The Estimates are produces in a variety of ways means the estimates are produced from the continuous population registers under the systems of registration. Secondly, these estimates can also be gathered with the help of the sample surveys. Thirdly, we can also compute the estimates by carrying population from the previously made population census. Projections are basically related to the estimates of the population for the future. These projections can be made for the total population of the country or they can be made with respect to marital status, sex and age. Basically, the compilation of the projections at the international level is not as common as we have the compilation of the estimates. I should say that the estimates can also be calculated by taking the population from the previous census by the mathematical extrapolation of the past trends. Basically, the quality of the estimates is dependent on the type of the method used such as the estimates are mostly published in the national reports such as in the national statistical yearbooks. While, the population projections are related to the estimates of the population for the future.[2] Errors in Population Data: Actually, we are dealt with two common types of errors in the statistical data the Non Sampling and the Sampling error. It is very important for a researcher to be fully aware of these errors mentioned earlier most importantly the non sampling errors so these errors can be minimized or even eliminated from the population data collected. Basically, the non sampling errors are the errors that arose while the collection of the data. These kinds of errors exist in both censuses as well as in the sample surveys and they are very difficult to measure. These non sampling errors arose due to the defects in the sampling frame, the failure in identifying the target population the responses given by the respondents and data processing and reporting. If we talk about the defects in the sampling error which means that coverage error has been occurred. Although, there are two very common types of errors that is found in the census are coverage and content errors. These converge errors occur when t here is wrong addition of the units in the sampling frame. These errors are mainly caused by the reasons such as inaccuracy, duplication and old or out of date sampling frames. Then, the failure to identify the target population occurs when the target population is not defined clearly because of the use of the vague concepts. Response may occur from the data that have been recorded, requested and collected in an incorrect way. That data is the result of the inefficiencies in the questioners, the surveys, the respondent and the survey process itself. Now if we talk about the non responsive results in that case the data is not collected from the respondents. The proportion of these non respondents in the very sample is called the non response rate and it can be total or partial indeed. Processing occurs at different stages of the data processing such as the editing, capturing and cleaning of the data. Another error is Time period bias and this error is occurred when the survey or cens us in order to get the population data is performed at inappropriate time so that’s why the correct and appropriate timing of survey is very important. We can minimize these non sampling errors if We tend to use the accurate and up to date sampling frame By selecting an appropriate time for conducting the survey Proper planning for follow up of the non respondents The questioner should be carefully designed Most importantly we need to device such good systems In order to capture the errors that occur during the collection of the population data and that system is regarded as data quality assurance systems. Whereas, on the other hand the Sampling error is about the difference arose between the estimate which has been derived from the sample survey and the original true value that would come as a result of the census of the whole population. These sampling errors arose because the data that have been collected if from some part of it not from the whole population and these sampling errors are only restricted up to the sample surveys. These sampling errors can be measured from the sample data in the form of the probability sampling. The factors that affect most sampling errors are sample size, sampling fraction and the sample design. Biasness is also one of the reasons of the sampling error and such kinds of errors are considered as the systematic errors. We can minimize by applying the sampling techniques within the constraints of the available resources.[3] Most of the time the demographers use the population data in order to analyze and describe the evolution and the structure of the population. Basically, there is two type of data which is most used by the geographers. Basically, the population data comes in many forms and shapes but we classify it two main groups Type of data that provide information on stocks Type of data that provide information on the flows The population data on the on the stocks give us a count of individual members of the population at a specific point in time. Basically, it stocks provide us with snapshot of the population size and its composition. The composition of the population includes age, gender and race. The data available on flows provide us with information on the exits and entries of population between the two specific points in time and such kind of information comes from the vital registration system which is one of the most important sources of the population data. Bibliography BOOKS: DR Chandra, R.C. Geography of population 2009. 8th edition. Kalyani Publishers, New Delhi India. Bergman, Edward. F, Renwick, William. H. Introduction to Geography: People, Places and Environment. 3rd Edition. India. Pearson education, India ISBN 0131445456 Prof Qazi, S.A, Navid Shabir Qazi. Population Geography. APH Publishers. New Delhi India. Weeks, John R. an introduction to concepts and Issues. Ninth edition. Wadsworth publishers. United States ISBN O-534-62779-X URLS Data collection and Sampling. Assessed on 29 April, 2014. https://www.utdallas.edu/~scniu/OPRE-6301/documents/Data_Collection_and_Sampling.pdf> Qualtrics. 5 common errors in the research process. Published on June 21, 2012. Assessed on 29 April, 2014. http://www.qualtrics.com/blog/5-common-errors-in-the-research-process/> Statistic Canada. Sampling error. Data modified on 23 July, 2013. Data assessed on 30 April, 2014. http://www.statcan.gc.ca/edu/power-pouvoir/ch6/sampling-echantillonage/5214807-eng.htm> Suharto, Sam. Complementary sources of demographic and social statistics. Published on 10 August, 2001. Department of Economics and Social affairs United Nations secretariat. Assessed on 30 April, 2014. http://unstats.un.org/unsd/demog/docs/symposium_03.htm> [1] Suharto, Sam. Complementary sources of demographic and social statistics. [2] DR Chandra, R.C. Geography of population 2009. 8th edition. Kalyani Publishers, New Delhi India. [3] Weeks, John R. an introduction to concepts and Issues. Ninth edition. Wadsworth publishers. United States ISBN O-534-62779-X

Innovation In David Mc Culloughs The Great Bridge :: essays research papers

ALBERT EINSTEIN once said about the invention of the Atomic Bomb that it was as much a matter of scientific knowledge and astuteness, as it was a call of circumstances and time. The millennial brightness of Albert Einstein, the pressing imminence of war and the determination to succeed of the American government and scientists, are part of the ecology of innovation that surrounded the emergence of nuclear technology, and eventually led to the creation of the atomic bomb and its destructive power. The ecology of innovation not only includes the elements directly related to the emergence of a new technology such as its inventor, or the need it fulfilled, but also includes seemingly unimportant aspects such as the governing politics that allowed it and the conditions that created a need for that technology.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  APPLIED TO David McCullough’s book, The Great Bridge, this concept encompasses a whole nation in its drive towards modernization. Preceded by inventions such as the railroad and the telegraph, the second half of the 19th century stands at a time where technology is regarded as a primary option to achieving comfort. Little by little, the realization is made that perhaps nature’s boundaries is not the farthest mankind can go. The middle of the 19th century also opens an era of greater involvement of the government in matters of public interests and an increase of funding as well; The Erie canal build from 1817 to 1825 is a testimony of such an involvement, and an example of the willingness to defy nature with innovation.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Also, as communications are slowly developed with the emergence of the telegraph and later the telephone, the notion of time and distance become more important than they ever were, and begin to matter in the everyday lives of people. When observed in such an ecology, it is easy to understand how and why the idea of a bridge over the East River, connecting Brooklyn to New York came about at that particular time. Of course as in the example given earlier, the mind at work was a sine qua non condition, and there would most likely not have been any bridge without the mind, or rather the minds of the Roeblings. For this amazing piece of engineering, he was the right mind at the right time. Thomas Kinsella put it in better words in The Brooklyn Eagle, saying: †He spoke our language imperfectly, because he had not the advantage of being born on our soil, but he spoke the genuine language of America at Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, and Niagara†¦(The Great Bridge p.

College Trendy Travesty

Alcohol abuse during teenage and early adolescence which is heavy enough could mean withdrawal symptoms surfacing during cessation of drinking. It could also lead to the impairment or diminishing of performance of the brain as accounted by poor memory and attention span.These impairments are caused by malfunction of the brain, as caused by excessive alcohol misuse.   The travesty on the enthusiasm on the ‘dreadful beverage’ is outrageously spreading in the perceptions of college students, hence not knowing the painful effects it may bring an individual in the later life.Problems related to alcohol consumption were reported to be continuously increasing.Alcohol related problems need an early recognition and treatment to avoid the negative effects such as health and social dysfunction. This study will be conducted to determine the prevalence of problems on alcohol consumption specifically it seeks to answer the following question: what is the prevalence of alcohol abuser s in the sample population using  Ã‚   biological markers, CAGE questionnaire, and socio-demographic information and the relationship existing among these parameters as indicators of alcohol abuse?The null hypothesis of the study states that there is no prevalence of alcohol abusers in the sample population using biological markers, CAGE questionnaires and socio-demographic information and there is no relationship existing among these parameters as indicators of alcohol consumption and abuse.The alternative hypothesis in one hand states that the prevalence of alcohol abusers in the sample population using biological markers, CAGE questionnaires and socio-demographic information and there is a relationship existing among these parameters as indicators of alcohol consumption and abuse. Alcohol abusers are said to be those who consume above 30-50 grams pure alcohol per day and exhibit CDT as the most abundant transferring.Analysis: Sociological Implication of Alcohol AbuseAs thorough ly noted in researches made by sociologists, problems concerning drug and alcohol abuse are becoming rampant. In almost all parts of the globe, drug and alcohol-related problems have been reported to increase making such problem a totally global crisis.  Ã‚   With the implemented policies regarding the control and the prohibition of patronizing most abused drugs, the global community has really doing its task to eliminate such crisis and to preserve peace and order in the world.However, no matter how the global community does its goal of eliminating the problems on drug and alcohol abuse, it seems that merely punishing those who manufacture, sell and distribute prohibited drugs is not really sufficient to completely solve the problems on drug abuse. Likewise, only reminding the public of what alcohol abuse can bring to individuals is literally inadequate to minimize the cases of alcohol abuse.In order to fully address the problems on drug and alcohol abuse, all must do their part in the pursuit of solving it. The government and even other institutions could never really do such undertaking by themselves only. Involvement and participation of the people are the most necessary and integral part of it. Only when all the concerned factors and elements act upon the total elimination of drug and alcohol-related problems could such crisis be truly cured.

Nursing Shortage In America

This paper examines the issue of nursing shortage in the light of the report published by the American Association Of   Colleges of Nursing on the subject . This report examines the issue in detail citing various reasons and issues concerning the problem . A brief overview of the report and further supportive facts are as under : Issue of Nursing Shortage: Ever since Florence Nightingale revolutionized nursing practices, nursing has been playing a pivotal role in the delivery of health care. This has been due to the ever increasing demand made upon the health profession in all stages of its delivery. With increasing population and the plethora of diseases to combat, hospitals around the world are facing a lot of problems, nursing shortage being one of them. According to a report published by the American Association of colleges of nursing it has been cited that recent researches have pointed out that an acute shortage of nurses is being observed in the different states across America. It is projected that by the year 2024 the shortage would increase by 340,000 as compared to the current shortage of 118,000 nurses. The reasons for this shortage are the short term policies which have been formulated in this respect (AACN, 2007). Influencing Factors : Though a lot of factors are contributing towards the shortage of nurses , however the five main areas which need special emphasis in this regard include: 1)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Training 2)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Poor job environment 3)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Increased patient turnover 4)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   High nurse turnover and vacancy rates 5)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Slow rate of growth of nurses A lot of attention has been given to producing medical doctors, very less attention has been given to the training of nurses. The other reasons cited in the report are the poor job environment, increased burden of patients, lower turnout. These factors are constantly challenging the health professionals. This is having an adverse impact on patient care. With the time slot available for each patient the level of nursing care has decreased a lot since the past few years. The increased frequency of errors being reported is also a result of these shortages. Other Studies: Besides the fact sheet which has been prepared by the American Association of colleges of nursing , a lot of studies have been carried out on this subject. Due to paucity of space a few of them are being presented for review: In an article published in readers digest in 2003, by John Prekannan has very rightly pointed out that if significant attention is not paid to the currently dwindling nursing population might adversely affect patient care. The increasing family pressure on nurses and their failure to tend to every case was cited as among the reason for a higher mortality rate. Another important point which has been made is the aloof attitude the patients experience from the nurses involved in their care. As compared to yester years when patients were received warmly by the nursing staff the present day health care is a constant reminder of the toll inadequate staffing may take on the already overburdened nurses (John Prekannan, 2003). In another research project which has taken a look over the reasons for this shortage has brought four main points in the lime light viz ageing workforce, declining enrolment, changing work climate and poor image of nursing (Goodin 2003). The answer to all these problems lies in formulating policies to combat this dearth of nursing professionals. Adequate resourcing and financing is the key when it comes to training programs. The grants which are being offered for the revival of nursing industry are not the only means of a revival but to change and bring about a powerful image of the nurses and to glamorize the profession is the key (Chandra , 2005)   . Solution : The focus needs to change from producing just doctors to the production of quality nurses so that the new trends and advancements which are taking place every now and then in the medical filed can be put into practical use by the sufficiently qualified nursing staff. Nursing programmes should be devised so that nurses may have a chance to develop and groom themselves according to the needs of the modern society. References American Association of Colleges of Nursing, Nursing Shortage Fact Sheet, Published 2007 John Pekkanen, Nursing shortage is America’s biggest health care crises, Article published in Reders Digest, September 2003 Janiszewski Goodin HGoodin , The Nursing Shortage in The United States Of America-an integrative review of literature, Published din Journal of advanced nursing, Volume 43 , Number 4 , August 2003. Chandra, Ashish, Willis, William K Importing Nurses: Combating the nursing shortage in America Copy right 2005 Heldref Publications   

How Far Would You Agree That ”Animal Farm” Is, As Orwell Himself Described It, A ‘Fairy Story.’

Five down. A word that is used in dermatology. 6 letters. That's a tough one†¦what's dermatology? Itches†¦that doesn't fit. Scratch†¦I don't know. I was pondering whether I should go over to that old man who was leaning against the fence. He had been there, in the same position, smiling and nodding at me for the last half an hour. Perhaps I should tell him to get a life? I sighed; I was so bored. Perhaps this is what waiting does to you? Why was I doing this stupid crossword? I should be on the train now, on my way back to Cardiff; there I would be getting drunk out of my mind. What was I going to say to Rob? â€Å"Sorry mate, couldn't come to your stag do, the train came late?† What a lame excuse. When would that stupid train come? The guard over there was looking happy, probably because he was enjoying watching all us commuters suffer. Perhaps I should show him what it's like, missing out on pints of free beer, strippers AND my best mate's stag do. Paranoia had set upon me. I had already started to think everyone was out to get me, and perhaps I was right? No, I hastily corrected myself, they don't even know me. Why on earth was I paranoid? I mean, I used to take this journey everyday when I was a kid†¦but things change. I was far more aware of everything now. At my feet, lay my briefcase; normally my portfolio would lie there, with all its sketches depicting life. For a brief second, I wished I could go back in time, and no longer feel the intensity of adulthood: having to work to survive, owning a house etc. I closed my eyes wearily. The train still hadn't come. Frustrated, my instincts told me to just wait, but, ignoring them, I marched over to the guard, and demanded to know when the train would arrive. He gave no verbal answer, and simply gestured at the electronic board above his head. He then walked off, presumably to help some old dear carry her luggage. Not. The notice board told me that my train would be delayed indefinitely. Estimated time of arrival was at least 4 hours away, if not more. I slumped back down onto the red plastic, cheap station seating, and resigned myself to a long wait. I got out my mobile, and began to text Rob, apologising for not being there. My text contained many words of crude language. As I began to text, I stopped. I remembered that I was at a station; where better to observe human life? Here, I could capture normal life, without having to draw forced behaviour. I looked across the crowded arcade. Businessmen, old people, women with severe hair-dos, punks, anarchists, goths, Asians, Africans†¦ no one out of the ordinary. I didn't know quite what I was looking for, but I knew they would stand out. Just as I looked past the Sainsbury's outlet, a woman burst in through the door from the high street, almost colliding with the ‘Welcome to Paddington' sign. She was drenched to the bone, although I didn't know how; it wasn't even raining. She had a peculiar look on her face, one of worry and exhaustion, yet somehow triumphant. She ran towards the platform, skidding several times, and ran straight to the guard. I could see her lips moving, but all I could hear was the crackly interference on the intercom. The guard walked off while she was still talking, and she was left standing there, alone. I had never seen such a unique woman in my life. She had auburn hair, naturally highlighted in streaks with a dull ginger colour, bright green eyes almost like a cat, which were opened wide as if she was annoyed†¦ Her eyebrows lowered as I saw her eyes scan across the timetable. What train was she waiting for? I told myself I wouldn't get involved. She was beautiful, but I already had a girlfriend: a kind generous one at that. No, I didn't love this woman, but was just enthralled by her. As she sat down, drips of water ran off her hair onto her top. She sat herself down on the adjacent bench to mine, and reached for her handbag. Her hand delved deep inside, and things went flying everywhere. Tissues scattered themselves all over her skirt, leaving bits of white fluff, which contrasted horribly with her blue and burgundy-striped skirt. A lipstick gracefully went sailing out of the bag, flew through the air, until it landed back on the platform. It then slid itself underneath the barrier, on the very edge of the platform. The woman flung more things out of the bag; the Vaseline came out, the lid fell off, and the contains went everywhere; a purse hit an old woman sitting near her who then started mumbling; photos of children and other people; tickets for buses and trains; receipts for petrol, shopping and clothes; a calculator fell out and made a crack sound; a film, mint wrappers, pens†¦anything you can name was in there. Unfortunately, still more things came out. A mirror went flying through the air, straight towards an old man. He looked up just before it struck him, and caught it. I presume he then made a comment about 9 years bad luck as he handed it back, though I couldn't hear him, as the intercom was going on about cheap luggage cases at G&R Cases. Finally, she pulled out, with relish a mobile phone and a hairbrush. She began to brush her hair vigorously using the mirror. She placed it back in, then looked around in horror, at the scene of destruction that she had created. Annoyed (it seemed), she went around this part of the station, picking everything back up. I wanted to help, but I dared not; something was rooting me to the ground. Fear. The woman finally replaced the lipstick back in her handbag, and looked around. Seeing the shops, she walked off towards them. I followed. As I walked towards the commercial side of the station, I made up a cover story. If she noticed I was following and asked me, I would say either a) I thought you were someone else, or b) I need to get some apples†¦wait, but why would I need to go to all the same shops as her? I decided I would only use option a) if asked. She walked into Boots, and I followed. Why was I following her? I had no idea, but this woman interested me. Under the pretence of looking for a toothbrush, I watched her buy some Nurofen, shaving cream, Lynx deodorant, and a razor. Why did she need that? It was ‘guy' stuff. Finally, she meandered over to the cosmetics area, where she dithered over buying a plum-coloured shade of finger paint stuff. What was it called again? Oh yeah, nail varnish. After about 45 minutes in there, she paid up using her card, and left. ***** During the next 11/2 hours, she went to the luggage shop, Woolworths where she purchased a large bag of pick ‘n' mix, Sainsbury's to buy some pasta, and a florist. After coming out of the last shop with a bouquet of irises, she went back to the red plastic bench, and sat down. I waited for a while, and then followed suit. On my way back to the bench, I looked up at the notice board. Two hours before the train arrived. The woman seemed to be getting nervous. She was straightening her skirt, getting rid of every little crease or dent. She sat there, looking agitated for a while. She sneezed suddenly, and looked around, cringing apologetically. Then a train pulled up into the station. This was the 19:56 train pulling in, and she stood up, and ran towards the barrier. People filed out, and the noise level in my head slowly grew, but I could not make sense of it. All I could hear was endless jumble; babbling, talking, but one conversation indistinguishable from another. I could hear this in the background, but in the foreground there was silence, spare her breathing. A friendly old lady was trying to question me, but I could neither see nor hear her clearly. I was looking at her, but yet not seeing her. It was the same with the rest of the passengers: they had no features in my head. All I could see were faces, with one face standing out: the woman's. Her face had features: exquisite ones, which appeared perfect to me. Everyone else was the same, blank, just going. Her face told a story, one that I was trying to learn. I had become very overwhelmed by this woman. I watched her stand by the rail, lean over, clasping her hands with the rail between them. She stood on the lowest bar, held the bar with both hands and swung. She then leaned completely over the bar, got off it, and just held it with one hand. As the stragglers among the passengers filed out, the train emptied, and her face began to express anguish. As the doors on the one side closed, and the boarding passengers got on, she looked distraught. She ran from one direction to another, trying to find a way to get to the other side of the bar, trying to find a guard. But there was no one to help her. As the train departed, confusion came upon her face. She then slowly sat back down on her seat, and, with a look of determination, looked like no one could make her move. The train left, and the station became emptier. Most people had got on the last train, which had left for Greenwich. My train, however, was still conspicuous by its absence. I should now be at the club with Rob and the rest of his mates, getting more and more drunk by the moment. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see the woman getting out her mobile. It was quite an old model for a person her age: I thought she would have a 3310 at least, since she looked about 23. But no, she had a Sony, with a pullout aerial and tiny screen. She was hitting the keys at a moderate speed, obviously texting. I could just about make out the words ‘Where are you' from where I was sitting. Then she hit one button hard, and sat back. I heard a faint beep; obviously the message had been sent. The time kept ticking away on the big blue electric clock. The second hand seemed to almost be slowing down, though I doubted that. The timetable kept saying that my train would arrive in one minute less time than last minute, until it said my train would arrive in 45 minutes. However, by that pint, I dared not raise my hopes, as it had said that so many times before I no longer believed it. Time seemed to almost be coming to a standstill, when I heard a sharp horn go, and another train slowly came round the corner into the main station. The woman ran towards the bar again, a fresh look of happiness on her face, but in the corner lay a hint of dread? I wasn't sure. Her irises in her hand, she stood on the rail, leaning over. Her free hand had nothing to do: it darted from the rail to her pocket to her skirt, and then it held the irises, then back to the bar. The passengers again stopped leaving, and the train was once again emptied. Through the windows a few silhouettes remained, so she looked like she still had a bit of hope. The final three passengers came out, and she fled from the bar, flinging down the irises onto the floor. From my seat, I could see her head held between her hands, and her chest was heaving gently: was she sobbing? She rummaged in her bag for a tissue, and, after wiping her tears away, gently picked up the irises from the ground, and held them in her arms. An old woman, who had seen the plight of the woman and her irises both of which had begun to wilt forlornly, walked over to her, started talking to her about the plight of the rails nowadays (I was now within earshot) and gave her a vase of water for the irises. As she left, the woman began to smile again, seeing the flowers perk up. After two more trains had come and gone, the woman's spirits had fallen almost irretrievably low and various texts, I saw her call someone, possibly the person who she was waiting for. She was muttering ‘Pick up, damn you, pick up', and when the answer phone came on, she almost burst into tears. She left a heartrending message, and I saw her visbly choke back tears a few times. Then she hung up, and waited. The woman's skirt was now crumpled, her top tearstained, the flowers dying, but hope of the person arriving kept a brave smile on her face. However, the smile was not for me, actually, it seemed almost everyone but. She didn't seem to even notice I existed. Then I heard a message on the intercom: ‘We are very sorry for any delays, but the 19:56 train and the 17:56 trains have been combined. They will shortly be arriving. We are sorry for any inconvenience. Please forward any complaints to the Railtrack Office in Cornwall. Thank you for your patience.' Finally! My train was actually going to arrive! What's more, in only a few minutes! But one thing almost scared me: it had combined with the woman's train. Was it coincidence? Or sheer chance†¦ However, I had no chance to ponder this question as the train pulled in at that moment. The woman ran over to the rail, as I queued to get aboard. From my place in the queue, I was at a good vantage point to see whom the woman was going to reunite with, and the happy event itself. A man got off the train, and the woman was waving at him madly. However, he looked around hurriedly, didn't appear to see her, and beckoned another woman off the train. At that point, my woman started to look confused, as if feeling why hadn't he seen her? She was almost at the point of climbing over the rail. The man who had got off the train, and woman with him grabbed each other, and kissed passionately. My woman looked aghast, shocked, and distraught all at once. She then took a sharp intake of breath. The man looked round and saw my woman looking distraught. The woman looked around, and caught my glance. For an instantaneous second we understood each other, then it stopped. I heard him trying to explain, but it was all for nothing. As I boarded the train, I saw the irises hit him in the face, the shopping hit the other woman, and my woman walked off into the darkness, in the direction of the oncoming trains. However, I had no time to find out what happened next, and the train slowly began to accelerate away. I realised that I had been staring at her unashamedly for the last 4 hours, and I felt I knew her; but all she knew of me was a second. The last thing I heard before the sound of the train blocked out everything else was a screech: was it a scream, or simply the doors closing? I realised I would never know, and concentrated on looking forward to the journey: who knows what might happen?