South Africa Essays (926 words) - South Africa, Africa, Xhosa People

South Africa South Africa is a place of hurt, heart, and change. Over the years, South Africa has either been through rough times in the traditional tribal part, or being descriminated because of their color of skin. South Africa has two major tribal groups; The Nguni/South Ndebele, and the khoi/San. The South Ndebele, together with the Zulu, Xhosa and Swazi, belong to the South Nguni ethnic group. In the case of the South African Ndebele group, the area is the Southern part of South Africa. Here, they have lived, worked on farms, and hunted for generations. They are a very communal tribe. They work together, share together, help each other out, and hunt with each other. This group is very dependent on all of their family. On the other hand the Khoi/San group is the complete opposite of the Nguni/South Ndebele. They live in the Kalahari Desert, they are Nomadic, and rely on livestalk to live. They might be more Independent then the Nguni, but they still get alittle help from their families too. Like they go hunting together. Unlike the Nguni the Khoi/San use poisoned arrows to kill their livestalk.Little did these groups know what they were going to be going through the next 300 years; colonialism. In 1652 South Africa was forever changed when Dutch established a rest stop in South Africa.Apartheid also unofficially started. At that time, the area was occupied by the Khoi/San clans. The pressure on the Khoi/San increased as more Dutch and French settlers arrived. By the 18th century, most Khoi/San had lost their land to these European settlers. Cape Town became a major port as a way station for the Europeans. The colonists were mostly farmers and cattle herders. They became known as the Boers. They developed their own culture and language (Afrikaans). In the 1770's, the Boers encountered the Bantu, who were migrating. The Nguni Bantu clans settled between the Drakensberg Mountains and the sea. The Sotho clans settled in the interior, north of the Cape Colony. The 19th century competition for land led to the conflict between the Bantu clans, which led to the boer war, 1899-1902. Hundreds and thousands died during the wars, entire clans disappeared and it resulted in the creation of many Bantu nations. Now they are unable to communicate with each other, and now they don't have any power to stop the Europeans. British forces twice occupied the Cape region, in 1795 and 1806. In 1814, toward the end of the Napoleonic Wars, Great Britain purchased the Cape Colony from the Dutch for 6 million Britidh pounds. After 1820 thousands of British colonists arrived in South Africa, and they demanded that English law be imposed. English became the official language in 1822. The Khoi/San were given protection, and slavery was abolished in 1833. When the Dutch, or the Afrikanns found out that slavery was ebolished they got angry, because they thoght that the Bilble said that black people were supposed to be slaves, which then created the Boer war. It is now 1948, the Europeans have now taken over South Africa. Four Years earlier a man named Nelson Mandela became a lawyer, and joined the A.N.C. so he could help the salvaging African people. Even though he played a very important roll in Apartheid, colonialism, and their human rights, that still didn't stop the Europeans from torturing them for the next 46 years. Nelson Mandela was a nice man, but in 1956 Mandela went on trial for treason, but was acquitted in 1961. During this time he married Nkosikazi Nomzamo Madikizela. He was again arrested in August of 1962, he was sentenced to five years in prison. While in prison, Mandela, along with several others, was convicted of sabotage and treason and in June 1964 was sentenced to life imprisonment. During this period Mandela became a worldwide symbol of resistance to white domination in South Africa. In prison he acted nice to everybody. When an Officer told him to do something, he politely answered Yes sir, but he did this for a reason. He did that so the officers could feal the guilt for what they have been doing to all the black people. The goverment soon got pressured by the people to let

Free Essays on My Future Goals

My Expectations in life. A person needs to achieve certain goals in one’s life before you can call them successful. Success is to achieve goals, you have set. I have set certain goals I would like to achieve in my lifetime. Some of these goals are personal while others are professional. My professional goals in life are to find a good job that makes me happy, get a good education, find a job that makes enough money for me to support my family, and help people. Goals It is very important for me to receive a good education. Most job fields require a descent education. If I don’t have an education I would not be able to function properly at the work place and I would not understand what to do. To maintain a good job that will make good money will require me to go thorough schooling or training and maybe even both. Education is the first and foremost way to become successful, because the job I will choose will need me go to school and maybe even beyond college. My happiness in what I do is also a goal for me I my life. There is no way someone can become successful if they are not happy with what they are doing. If their job is going to make them miserable, they will never show 100% in their work and they will slake off. If someone did this they would probably get fired or their pay would not be very high. The job I want will be interesting to me. I will need that I love my job and I love what I am doing. I need to be putting 100% into my work. Another professional goal of mine is for me to be making good money in my work. I am not saying that I need to be making millions but I want enough so I can help support my family. I cannot expect to have a family I can’t afford. My job will help me buy a home, pay health insurance, and other things I need for my family. My main goal in the money is to keep, my family happy. I want them to have enough but not too much. I want them to have the necessities. I have also alway... Free Essays on My Future Goals Free Essays on My Future Goals My Expectations in life. A person needs to achieve certain goals in one’s life before you can call them successful. Success is to achieve goals, you have set. I have set certain goals I would like to achieve in my lifetime. Some of these goals are personal while others are professional. My professional goals in life are to find a good job that makes me happy, get a good education, find a job that makes enough money for me to support my family, and help people. Goals It is very important for me to receive a good education. Most job fields require a descent education. If I don’t have an education I would not be able to function properly at the work place and I would not understand what to do. To maintain a good job that will make good money will require me to go thorough schooling or training and maybe even both. Education is the first and foremost way to become successful, because the job I will choose will need me go to school and maybe even beyond college. My happiness in what I do is also a goal for me I my life. There is no way someone can become successful if they are not happy with what they are doing. If their job is going to make them miserable, they will never show 100% in their work and they will slake off. If someone did this they would probably get fired or their pay would not be very high. The job I want will be interesting to me. I will need that I love my job and I love what I am doing. I need to be putting 100% into my work. Another professional goal of mine is for me to be making good money in my work. I am not saying that I need to be making millions but I want enough so I can help support my family. I cannot expect to have a family I can’t afford. My job will help me buy a home, pay health insurance, and other things I need for my family. My main goal in the money is to keep, my family happy. I want them to have enough but not too much. I want them to have the necessities. I have also alway...

Emplyment interviews Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Emplyment interviews - Essay Example The main disadvantages are high cost and lack of anonymity. Still, this type of interviews is crucial for effective recruitment because it allows certain standardization of description. To effect the standardization and control for which procedures are designed, they are presented in a specific format conveying information for a particular action to be taken (Sammar et al 2009). The second type is a structured interview. During this interview, the action may be only one step in a series of steps or the entire series. Once formalized in this manner, procedures need to be followed explicitly to achieve their objectives. Hence the rigidity of bureaucracy. Sometimes exceptions may be made to a formalized procedure, but in that case the manner of making an exception is also formalized. In a systems context, a procedure is like a hard-wired circuit. It ensures predictability. The main advantages are high reliability and level of control. The main disadvantage is a law level of personal involvement of an interviewer. The third type is behavioral interviews. Much of the workers' knowledge is conscious, obtained in schools, training, and / or on the job. But much of it is also subconscious, a distillation of experience in which personal solutions to problems encountered in the course of the workday may or may not have worked. The main advantages are the possibility to measure attitudes and accurate reflection. The main disadvantage is subjectivity (influenced by age, income level, race, etc.). The forth type is situation interview. The environment created within the focus group is one in which the conscious knowledge of the participants comes together, and insights are expressed that may be new or may have only existed under the surface. As he or she leads the workshop, an emerging pride is evidenced by the participants in the interview analysis they use to do their jobs to the standards required for quality performance. The advantages of this type are low variation in answers, a possibility to find a right candidate at the short period of time, and it is easy to come up with questions about specific situations. The main disadvantages are that it does not ensure further development of skills and knowledge of a candidate. Also, it is easy for a person to predict and find the right answer for all questions asked during the interview. The panel interview reflects an increasingly common phenomenon, management willingness to go beyond descriptions to achieve greater efficiency and higher productivity. The main advantage is effective tool for measuring communication skills and ability to socialize. The main disadvantage is that the interview can be confusing and a candidate can be taken aback. The computer interview will help companies to save time and analyze data with the help of computer programs. The main disadvantage is lack of personal interaction and communication. The video interview proposes great opportunities to save time and resources of the organization, thus it can be stressful and very subjective. The notion that every little thing that needs doing in order to get work done must appear in a job description is, of course, quite impractical and ultimately can destroy initiative (Sammar et al 2009). The best type

Cultural Diversity Research Proposal Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Cultural Diversity - Research Proposal Example Therefore to be able to take the optimum contribution of the workforce, companies will have to take care of their sentiments and requirements in such a manner that the workforce feels satisfied while working in the company and while interacting amongst each other. Multinational companies in particular have come to realise the importance of taking good care of their employees in such a manner that the diversity tends to become strength for the company. This study is therefore an effort to analyse how the diversity at the work place affects the working environment and how the companies can take better care of the workers by addressing the diversity concerns. During the study the policies of some of the companies will be studied to find out how they take care of their employees and manage the workforce. An effort would also be made to see how providing equal opportunities to the workforce helps these companies in strengthening the core competencies of the organization and what are types of challenges these companies have faced in the process. In such cases, the viewpoints of the employees too will be taken to see how well they are enjoying the diversity prevailing within the organisation and whether it is helping them in doing their bit towards the goals and objectives of the company. In the era of globalization, thanks to widespread proliferation... The researcher narrates interesting experiences of some of the companies like Texaco, Coca Cola, and Morgan Stanley. It is stated that initially these companies probably thought diversity was just a "good idea" too, until they got hit with lawsuits and much negative publicity. Millions of settlement dollars later, these companies saw the business case for managing diversity well and as a reaction have implemented many strategic diversity initiatives. Pamela Tudor therefore underlines the principle that in order to work with people from diverse backgrounds and be successful in the globalisation era, the prerequisite is effective management of diversity in the organisation. In recent years, China has emerged on the horizon as one of the fastest developing countries. Lower production costs are one main reason for its popularity as a major manufacturing hub. Many international companies, particularly from the western world have shifted their manufacturing facilities to China in order to take advantage of the cheaper labour costs. When MNCs prefer to take advantage of multi-location facilities, lower costs of production, and expertise from the world over, diversity is bound to be there at the workplace. While many of the managers and specialists are being sent to China from western nations, a number of Chinese and other people from South Asia are also being recruited at these manufacturing facilities. Taking good care of the employees therefore requires that the diversity should be managed effectively at these companies. Therefore, it will be interesting to study how the diversity is being managed by some reputed companies while taking care of employee's w elfare. Preliminary Literature Review The Chartered Institute

How are convergence and interactivity defined in new media studies Essay

How are convergence and interactivity defined in new media studies Using examples, critically evaluate these concepts in relation to those of remediation and intra-activity - Essay Example product of convergence between â€Å"old† and â€Å"new† media through â€Å"remediation,† which they examined in their book, Remediation: Understanding New Media. This essay aims to study how convergence and interactivity are defined in new media studies. Through several examples and definitions, it critically evaluates these concepts in relation to remediation and intra-activity. According to new media scholars, convergence is defined through technological convergence, the lens of consumer agency (Lister et al., 2009: 48; Suchman, 2007), cultural/system/corporate convergences (Jenkins, 2008; Murdoch, 2000), and remediation (Bolter and Grusin, 2000), while interactivity has been defined as a cause, enabler, and result of convergence (Murdoch, 2000; Manovich, 2001); however, the â€Å"myth of interactivity† (Manovich, 2001: 74) and the process of inter-activity (Barad, 2007) criticise the intuitive and interactive notions of new media interactivity and con vergence (Hay and Couldry, 2011). Before convergence is further understood, the meaning of new media must be explored first because it shapes the philosophical conceptualisation of convergence. One of the common definitions of new media is the interaction between old and modern media, especially computers, mobile information and telecommunication devices, and the Internet. New media is more complex and varied than the use of current web and mobile technology interfaces, nonetheless. In the article, â€Å"How Should We Read New Media and New Technologies?† Gà ¶kà §ek (2011) cautioned people in seeing new media as a single and homogenous object, when it is composed of a â€Å"...collection of objects which should be analysed economically, socially, culturally, politically, philosophically, theoretically and technologically† (71). He resisted separating new media from its social context, as well as bundling it into a simplistic view of networked and interactive modern technological systems. Manovich (20 01), in The Language

Lebanons History, Culture and Diversity

Lebanons History, Culture and Diversity Some people migrate to the United States and just forget their home country. They find their way to assimilate in the American mainstream. However for me, even though Ive been in the U.S. since birth but I would still be pleasured to write on most of the things that I really would feel interested about; Lebanon. Modern-day Lebanon is like a mosaic, characterized by a diversity of cultures, traditions, and religions. Because of its location at the crossroads of Asia, Europe, and Africa; Lebanon has been shaped by many civilizations throughout its long history. These diverse influences are evident in the extraordinary richness of the countrys archaeological sites. From Stone Age settlements to Phoenician city-states, from Roman temples to rock-cut Christian hermitages, from Crusader Castles to Mamluk mosques and Ottoman Hammams (traditional clubs that include sauna, Jacuzzi, and steam rooms), the countrys historical sites are a true encyclopedia of ancient and modern world history. Modern Lebanese society is characterized by this same cultural and architectural diversity. As you walk the streets of downtown Beirut, you will pass domed mosques and steeple churches, French cafes and Arab Souqs (traditional markets). Cultural diversity is reflected in language, cuisine, the arts, and the countrys religious heritages Sunni, Shiia Muslims, and Druze; Maronite, Eastern Orthodox and other Christians; and many others (Helena 72). A visit to any of Lebanons ancient archeological ruins, traditional villages, or religious sites will truly give you a taste of the cultural mosaic of this captivating country. Lebanon is an ancient land that has embraced two of the worlds major religions, Christianity and Islam. Lebanons Christian heritage can be traced back to the Old Testament (Collelo 45). The Bible mentions the land of Lebanon on 70 occasions, and the famed Cedars of Lebanon are frequently cited as a symbol of beauty and strength. In addition to the many Biblical sites located in southern Lebanon, the Qadisha Valley, also known as the Holy Valley, reveals a wealth of hidden, rock-cut monasteries, grottoes, and sacred sites from the earliest days of Christianity. On the other hand, Lebanons Muslim heritage can be traced to the 7th century AD, when Islam was introduced by the Umayyad caliphate from the Arabian Peninsula. The Umayyad dynasty was the first of two major Muslim dynasties following the prophet Mohammed. The Umayyads and their successors, the Abbasids, ushered in a rich period of Islamic art, architecture, learning, and culture, and this tradition continues to flourish today. There are numerous mosques and spiritual places from the Sunni, Shiite Muslim traditions throughout the country. An ancient land, Lebanon features prominently in writings from the Old Testament to the History of Herodotus (440 BC). Its cities were major Mediterranean outposts and seaports in Phoenician, Greek, Roman, and Umayyad times. Consequently, the Lebanese countryside is awash with majestic and historically fascinating ruins. Five of the most outstanding sites Aanjar, Baalbeck, Byblos, Tyre, and the Qadisha Valley/Cedars Forest are listed as UNESCO World Cultural and Natural Heritage sites. To explore Lebanon is to discover archaeological wonders that are windows into the cradle of civilization. Believed to be one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, the picturesque seaside city of Byblos is built upon multiple layers of ruins, dating back to as early as the Stone Age (5,000 BC). The kings of Byblos from the Phoenician period are buried in nine underground tombs in the royal necropolis. Columns lining the main thoroughfare, a theater, and a public fountain are among the architectural contributions left by the Romans. The Crusaders built their castle and a moat upon large Roman stones. Later, the castle was renovated and reused by the Mamluks and then the Ottomans. Lebanons official language is Arabic, but French, Armenian, and English are also widely spoken. Many Lebanese in fact speak a patois of some combination of these four languages, most commonly an Arabic-French mixture. Virtually all Lebanese are bilingual. Spoken Arabic is one part of a grouping of dialects called Levantine Arabic, differing greatly from the literary Modern Standard Arabic. It is a fusion between Syriac and Arabic, as well as some Turkish and thus in this respect can be more correctly classified as a language from Arabic, albeit very similar due to its relationship on the tree of Semitic languages. Regional influences and occupations throughout the centuries could possibly explain the reason why Lebanese people speak so many languages, even incorporating them into their own. Due to the importance of the Lebanese Diaspora and business interests of Lebanese worldwide, it has always been important to master languages other than Arabic. Lebanese music is known around the world for its soothing rhythms and wild beats. Traditional and folk music are extremely popular as are western rhythms. Perhaps the best-known and listened to Lebanese singer is Fairuz. Her songs are broadcast every morning on most radio stations and many TV channels, both in Lebanon and other countries in the Middle East and the Arab world in general. Other artists are also well known and loved like Majida El Roumi, Marcel Khalife who is also a composer, Oud player, and Julia Boutros. Over the ages, skilled Lebanese artisans have perfected the art of creating beautiful blown glass, jewelry, inlaid and engraved wooden boxes and furniture, textiles, and linens. The colorful, blown-glass decanters, water carafes, and glasses particular to Lebanon date back to Phoenician times. Wood workers carve intricately designed boxes and furniture and inlay them with mother-of-pearl or small pieces of wood. Traditional olive oil soap, increasingly popular here in the west, comes from traditional small factories that make this soup from the olive trees of Lebanon to be entirely natural, pure, and moisturizing. Lebanons primary religious groups, very roughly, are Shia Muslim (the largest group), Sunni Muslim, Christian, and Druze. Muslims represent roughly 60% of the total population, while Christians make up the other 40%. Of the muslims, the predominant Shia make up 60%, while the Sunni make up most of the remainder. Druze and Alawis are minorities. The division of political power between the religious groups is an interesting problem. The Lebanese have solved this by making different high ranking government positions represented by the different religious groups. The President must be Catholic, the Prime Minister must be Sunni, and the Speaker of the Parliament must be Shia. Some Lebanese nationals, particularly some Christians, tend to emphasize aspects of Lebanons non-Arab history as a mark of respect to encompass all of Lebanons historical makeup instead of only that which began during the Arab conquests, an attitude that prevails in the rest of the Arab world. In this respect, it would be wrong to dismiss Lebanons mosaic culture as merely Arab when it is clear that it is a blend of indigenous and invading or foreign cultures that have given it the title of the crossroads between east and west for centuries. This picture is seen most clearly in Lebanon, a land of complete contrasts and a land that cannot be defined by one culture alone, except if one were to bring them altogether and classify them as Lebanese. In a concession to Lebanons Eastern and Western heritage, some Lebanese prefer to see Lebanon as part of Mediterranean or Levantine civilization, neither Arab nor European. Everyone born and raised in Lebanon communicates using Arabic in a Leban ese dialect. This applies to its Islamic, Christian, Druze, and other religious practices. Language, food, music, arts and various cultural facets are local Lebanese and performed practically all in Arabic. The youth today are quite westernized and modernized breaking away with traditions like most other larger cities in the world (dating, western music, food, etc.) Compared to other Arab cities, Lebanese cities (especially Beirut) are more westernized and tolerant, and overt towards men-women relations than most Arab cities, like Damascus, Cairo, Baghdad Like other areas of the Middle East, Lebanon has a heritage almost as old as the earliest evidence of mankind. Its geographic position as a crossroads linking the Mediterranean Basin with the great Asian hinterland has conferred on it a cosmopolitan character and a multicultural legacy. Lebanon has an Arab culture colored by Western influences. As some Lebanese proudly say about their tiny country, Lebanon is small in size but huge in its influence.

Child Labor Essay -- Child Labor Laws Employment Workforce Essays

Child Labor Child labor is a pervasive problem throughout the global economy, especially in the markets of developing countries. With over 90% of the total child labor market employed in the rural areas of Asia and Africa largely due to lack of enforcement, it is argued that something has to be done. Although the majority of people are ethically appalled by child labor, and against the exploitation of children, is the worldwide eradication of the worst forms of child labor really a feasible alternative? To answer this question people have to take into account a variety of factors involving both the economic and social costs, as well as have a firm understanding of the situations people are faced with in these underdeveloped countries. The International Labor Organization estimated that there were over 211 million working children between the ages of 5 and 14 in the year 2000, with over 73 million under the age of ten. When most people think of child labor, they visualize children working in sweatshops under poor conditions, for little pay. When in reality almost 80% of child laborers are employed in agricultural jobs. Regardless of the type of labor these children are performing, they are usually underpaid, overworked, and forced to work in unsafe environments. The exploitation of children and the social costs that are involved are considered highly immoral, especially by the general public in industrialized nations. But why is a practice that is condemned by so many, so rampant among impoverished nations? Industrialized countries have been asking third world nations to impose regulations and ban the practices of child labor for decades. This is ironic considering that countries such as the United Sta... ...m, the worst kinds of child labor can at least be abolished, and children who work, can have some chance to work in a safer work environment. Works Cited International Labor Organization, 2000.World Labor Report. Geneva: International Labor Organization Faraaz Siddiqi/Harry Partrinos, Child Labor: Issues, Causes, and Interventions, 1996 Douglas A. Irwin, Free Trade Under Fire, Chapter 6, 2002 Kaushik Basu, Child Labor: Cause, Consequence, and Cure, with Remarks on International Labor Standards, 1999 Krugman Paul, In Praise of Cheap Labor, 1997 The Department of Labor Bureau of International Labor Affairs, 2001 Findings of the Worst Forms of Child Labor, 2002 International Labor Organization, International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour: 2000 Mehra-Kerpelman, K. 1996. Children at work: How many and where? World of Work 15:8-9.

Life of Pi †Significance of Color Essay

A woman once said, â€Å"There is no life without color. † This is just the case with the main character of â€Å"The Life of Pi†, Pi Patel. Pi is a cast away on a lifeboat in the middle of the Pacific Ocean with a tiger, an orangutan, a hyena and a zebra. There is one color that was mentioned multiple times throughout the story, the color orange. In the novel â€Å"Life of Pi† by Yann Martel, this color is used as a symbol for hope and survival. To hope means to wish for something with expectations of its fulfillment. Pi’s case is a pristine example of hoping for something. He has many instances when he gains hope throughout the novel, including building a raft, landing on the island, or even finding the food in the locker of the lifeboat. The most important, is the hope Pi is given through his companion on the lifeboat, Richard Parker, a four hundred and fifty pound Royal Bengal tiger. Being the color orange, the tiger becomes an example of hope throughout the book. Pi realizes, to keep himself, Richard Parker, and the will to survive alive, he must tame the tiger. â€Å"I had to tame him. It was at that moment that I realized this necessity. It was not a question of him or me, but of him and me. We were, literally and figuratively, in the same boat. We would live–or we would die–together. † (Martel, 164) Keeping Richard Parker alive would allow Pi to constantly remember that he is not the only one suffering and he has someone there for him, whether he can answer or not. Although Pi has many reasons to be hopeful, the author gives the reader reasons as well. Prior to the scene of the sinking of the Tsimtsum, an interviewer and reporter that is talking to Pi about the sinking of the ship describes visiting Pi later in life at his home in Canada. He meets Pi’s family and mentions that Pi’s daughter, Usha, holds an orange cat. â€Å"Leaning against the sofa in the living room, looking up at me bashfully, is a little brown girl, pretty in pink, very much at home. She’s holding an orange cat in her arms. † (92) This scene guarantees the reader that the end result of the story and Pi’s life will be not total tragedy. Pi has a life where he has been successful and has children of his own. While in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, Pi’s only goal was to survive. Items on the boat and religion truly gave him this will to survive, and Pi was more capable of surviving with them in his presence. While on the lifeboat, Pi has an orange life jacket with an orange whistle, an orange buoy, a bright orange tarpaulin, and a four hundred and fifty pound Bengal Tiger. Pi is thrown on the lifeboat by Chinese men with a life jacket already on him. â€Å"One of the men interrupted me by thrusting a life jacket into my arms and shouting something in Chinese. I noticed an orange whistle dangling from the life jacket. (105) The life jacket is used by Pi in constructing a raft to have a safe place away from Richard Parker, and the whistle is used by taming the large tiger. He utilizes his bright orange survival equipment to stay alive and keep away from Richard Parker. For most of the voyage they take on the lifeboat, Richard Parker remains under the tarpaulin, even from the beginning. After Pi is pushed overboard into the lifeboat, he says â€Å"I couldnâ⠂¬â„¢t see Richard Parker. He wasn’t on the tarpaulin or on a bench. He was at the bottom of the boat. † (106) Richard Parker having orange fur, is a symbol of survival. He keeps Pi alert and continuously reminds him of his situation. Religion played a big part of Pi’s life, and he prayed three times a day every day while he was on the boat. His family’s religion is Hinduism, and orange is the color of the second Hindu chakra, which are believed to be centers of the body from which a person can collect energy in the religion. Throughout his entire journey, he was always in contact with something that was the color orange, and that is why it becomes a symbol of survival. Every item and detail of his trip aids him in survival, and is part of the outcome of him being rescued. The color orange will always be remembered by Pi and readers as the color of hope and survival. The color gives readers hope for Pi and gives Pi the will to survive because of the possessions that are that color. The items Pi has on the boat all aid in his miraculous survival, just as Richard Parker and the religions he practices provides a measure of emotional support. These help the young boy maintain hope in this horrific tragedy. But above all, the orange color of survival and hope will always be known as the color that kept him alive.

MRI Contrast Agents

â€Å"MRI contrast is used for a variety of reasons.   Primarily, it is used to improve the detection of disease; that is, to increase sensitivity and diagnostic confidence, to enhance the ability to differentiate normal and abnormal tissue; and to identify the extent of the disease† (Muroff, 2001).Contrast agents are chemical substances used in anatomical or functional imaging for the purpose of increasing visual differences between normal and abnormal tissue.   These chemical substances are used to alter relaxation times.   Contrast agents are classified by changes in relaxation times after injection.There are six main categories of MRI contrast agents: Gastrointestinal, Intravenous, Intravascular (blood pool), Tumor-specific, and Reticuloendothelial contrast agents.Within the Gastrointestinal contrast agent category, there two subcategories: Positive and Negative contrast agents.Positive contrast agents cause a reduction in T1 relaxation times.   These agents appear brightly on images.   They may contain Manganese, Iron or Gadolinium as active elements.Positive contrast agents have three classifications: Paramagnetic agents, short T1-relaxation agents, and a combination of the two.Paramagnetic contrast agents have magnetic centers which create magnetic fields.   These fields interact with water protons, and have a larger effect on relaxation rates.   They include ferric chloride and gadolinium, which cause T1 and T2 shortening.   In low concentrations, T1 shortening holds the domination of the intensity of the signal.   In high concentrations, T2 shortening causes the signal to decrease.   At mid-level concentration, T1 and T2 shortening show an increase in the signal on T1 weighted images, and decreased the signal on T2 weighted images.Short T1-relaxation agents include mineral oil and oil emulsions.   In these agents, protons relax faster than protons in water, which results in short T1 time.   In bowels with T1 weighted imag es, a bright signal is apparent.Combinations include emulsion oil that contains corn oil and ferric ammonium citrate, and an emusion containing baby formula with ferrous sulfate.   Combination contrast agents distribute evenly through the bowels.Negative contrast agents will appear largely dark on images.   They are frequently called superparamagnetic iron oxide (SPIO).   They have shorter T1 and T2 relaxation times.Negative contrast agents have three classifications: diamagnetic agents, superparamagnetic agents, and perfluorochemicals.One readily available diamagnetic contrast agent is barium sulfate suspension.   It reduces the loss of bowel signals, resulting in improved pancreatic visualization.Superparamagnetic contrast agents are generally administered orally.   They include magnelite albumin microspheres and superparamagnetic iron oxide.   A large loss of the signal in the stomach and small bowels that give immense visualization of the pancreas and anterior renal margins.   This contrast agent type â€Å"accumulates in the reticuloendothelial system of the liver, and darkens healthy liver tissue in T2-weighted images† (mr-tip.com).Perfluorochemicals are organic compounds that replace protons with fluorine.   They are a special group of negative contrast agents that appear completely dark on images, because they do not contain hydrogen atoms, which are responsible for the signal in MRIs.   In gastrointestinal imaging, the purpose of perfluorochemicals is to give a complete signal absence in the bowels.Intravenous contrast agents include both ionic and nonionic chelates.   When using paramagnetic metal ions as contrast agents, there is a high level of toxicity in the doses required for imaging.   Chelates reduce the chances of long term toxicity by reducing the toxic levels.Intravascular contrast agents remain in the blood longer than most other contrast agents.   They are highly useful in diagnosis imaging that may require longer imaging times.Tumor-Specific contrast agents are targeted to tumors.   There are four main types of tumor-specific agents:Metalloporphyrins target multiple types of tumors, such as melanomas and lymphomas.Monoclonal antibodies are for specific tumors such as colon carcinomas.Ferrioxamine is a paramagnetic agent used for the kidneys and urinary tract.Nitroxides are also paramagnetic agents, but are not widely used.Reticuloendothelial contrast agents are used in liver, spleen and lymph node MRIs.   In liver and spleen imaging, specific contrast agents are used that target the reticuloendothelial system of the liver and spleen.   Because of the inability of most imagers to differentiate between normal and abnormal lymph nodes, USPIO has become widely used.   USPIO allows imagers to have the ability to differentiate between lymph nodes.â€Å"In cases where it is difficult to differentiate two types of tissue, because the signal intensity they produce is so similar, the s olution is to add a contrast agent to one of them in order to distinguish it from the other tissue† (GE Healthcare, 2007).   MRI contrast agents affect hydrogen atoms and the time they take to return to their original state, thereby increasing the signal intensity differences between the tissue with the contrast agent and the tissue without the contrast agent.   This results in an increase of contrasts on the image.ReferencesGE Healthcare (accessed January 13, 2007) www.amershamhealth.com/public/medical/mri_3.shtmlMedline Plus (revised March 2000) http://mplus.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/uspdi/202770.htmlMR-Technology (accessed January 13, 2007) www.mr-tip.comMuroff, Lawrence R. (Aug. 2001) â€Å"MRI Contrast: Current Agents and Issues† Applied Radiology Online (vol. 30, No. 8) www.appliedradiology.comRunge, Val M. (Aug. 2001) â€Å"The Safety of MR Contrast Media: A Literature Review† Applied Radiology Online (Vol. 30, No. 8) www.appliedradiology.com

America and the Thirteen Original Colonies essays

America and the Thirteen Original Colonies essays Every person born and raised in America, within the past half century, has at one time or another heard the song "Fifty Nifty United States"; the song which pounds the memorization of the fifty American states into one's head. If you were to ask any person from the age of ten to thirty, they would most likely be able to recite every single state, alphabetically. Towards the beginning of the brilliant masterpiece, there is a line which exclaims, "Fifty Nifty United States/ From thirteen original colonies..." The line, having horrible melodic doggerel, is right about these colonies. Thirteen colonies established by the British were satellites used in a system of mercantilism; they provided the natural resources while England would manufacture the goods to sell back to them. Unlike many other attempts at establishing previous settlements, these particular colonies, over a period of time, began to take their own form and question the mother country. The colonies developed their own ideas and beliefs and eventually broke away from England to for the United States of America. Among the so-called Thirteen Original Colonies, which included those of New England, the Middle Colonies, and the Southern Colonies, were certain common institutions and philosophies. The first colonies of America, the quintessential "thirteen" of them, had certain elements that caused them to be similar. Geographically, every colony was on the eastern coast of America, and everyone had similar environmental and land features. In the New England colonies, although a bit colder, had necessary farming land with some forest area; in the Middle colonies, farmland was abundant and waterways were important to trade; and in the Southern colonies, farmland was a very important factor and it was generally warmer than the other colonies. Geography also had a large impact on the economy, logically, seeing as if the three sections of colonies did not have distinguishing characte...

The difference and the treatment of male and female genders and the Research Paper

The difference and the treatment of male and female genders and the rules they have too follow in the religion of islam - Research Paper Example According to Ouzgane (1), women oppression is highly practiced in Muslim societies in Middle East and North Africa. In support of her claim, Ouzgane claims that the practice of female genital mutilation is highly practiced by Muslims. In addition to this, Ouzgane (21) asserts that some masculinist environment denies feminine both theologically and psychologically, a practice that make the majority of them unconscious. Despite this, some countries such as Iran value the position of women in the society. For instance, Firoozeh (7) asserts that the implementation of Iran’s population policies resulted in smaller families, exponential growth in female education as well as a rise in the age of marriage for men and women. These changes also contributed not only to the empowerment of women, but also protection of women from sticking to Islamic role model. However, it is apparent that nothing can change the role of women in Islamic society. According to Firoozeh, women are still treat ed as mother and wives despite implementation of some policies. In relation to this assertion, Inhorn asserts that women in Islamic have the role of giving birth and taking of the children. Women are also barred from having multiple partners and extramarital sexual relations (Inhorn 12). In other words, women are treated as the property of men, and as a result of this, they are obliged to adhere to what their husbands want them to do. Women in Islamic societies are often barred from raising their voice against their men (Friend 2). Apart from blaming women for failure in reproduction, the Islamic societies also force them to endure childless marriage. During their early stages of women as girls, they are taught on how to shrink into corners, to withdraw as well as to hide oneself because of their gender. In other words, the Islamic societies considered women as subjects to men who needed to be

The Ancient Art and Its Forms Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Ancient Art and Its Forms - Essay Example The first Indian art is believed to be 5,000 years old, which included stone carving and bronze castings. With a great history of Hinduism and Buddhism, the Indians produced many religious pieces of arts. People in ancient Central America around Mexico region began their artistic work 1000 years BC. The region is famous for the production of wonderful ceramics with kilns burning it over 900Â °C (Henry M, 2012, p. pg 123). The Christian era began during the ancient times and is believed to have continued evolving until the modern times. The most striking features of this period include monuments produced by Indians, Egyptians, Romans and many other groups. However, we shall concentrate on two striking monuments like the Minoan Snake Goddess and Totem Pole. Minoan Snake Goddess is an ancient cultural piece of art that depicts the Goddess holds two snakes in each hand. The first production of Minoan Snake goddess dates back to 1600BCE. The piece of art resembles a totem pole by the manner in which it is decorated. An interpretation of the open breast reveals the fertile nature of the Goddess. The snakes are a symbol of renewed life since the snakes are regarded as immortal whenever they shed their skin and renew their strength. The above pieces of art resemble each other in the manner in which they are decorated (Richerson, 1992). They are also symbols of religion. Indians in their temples use the Minoan Goddess symbol. The two pieces of art are 3-dimensional carvings mostly done using the stone. Indians used the stone to produce most of their ancient art and so was Minoan Snake Goddess. Use of colors was highly emphasized ancient artists because colors and decorations brought out the beauty aspect of the intended art. Use of line and shape has also been used in the two pieces of art. Shapes like triangle and cube boxes have been employed in the Minoan Snake Goddess. The same also applies to the Totem Pole piece of art.