Compare the ways the poems/poet present injustice Essay

The two poems I have chosen are Limbo by Edward Kamau Brathuaite and Nothing’s Changed by Tatamkhula Afrika. This poem tells the story of slavery in a rhyming, rhythmic dance. It is either Heaven or Hell, so if you’re in limbo you are in between. It is about the actions of the dance, and the history of a people which is being enacted. Going down and under the limbo stick is likened to the slaves’ going down into the hold of the ship, which carries them into slavery. Nothing’s Changed is about the destruction of district 6, where people of all colours and beliefs lived together. However after the apartheid it was declared a ‘whites-only’ area. I chose these 2 poems as they are both injustice and tell in 2 different scenarios. Three techniques I chose to compare are structure, imagery and juxtaposition The structure for Limbo is that there are no punctuation until the last sentence where there is a full stop to end it. This is because it is symbolic to the slaves’ continuous suffering. Also something that is very effective and which is not recognised quickly is that the poem begins with a capital letter, to show the journey has begun and ends with a full stop to show the journey has ended. This is a great technique used to show injustice. Nothing’s changed structure is the poem is set out in six stanzas, each of eight fairly short lines. The title and the last line of poem are the same. The poet is trying to emphasise the same old District Six he returns to still hasn’t changed. He is saying even though that the apartheid has ended in reality it still very much exists. Yes the signs have gone but he feels there are still the same attitudes, social divisions and tensions. The way he has written give you a clear understanding so in a way it shows injustice is in the poem. Imagery presents injustice in the poem, it says â€Å"limbo like me† so either join me in the dance or I am in limbo. This gives you imagery. Also â€Å"Long dark deck is the silence in front of me† â€Å"stick is the whip/ and the dark deck is slavery† gives you imagery to. It shows they are on a boat so there must be water around and it is silent. The word slavery makes you think of an image. Also you picture a boat full of slaves on the water going somewhere and it is full of silence. Nothing Changed is ‘I press my nose, to the clear panes, know, before I see them.’ You can picture the poet pressing his nose onto the window and he can see that the place was once theirs but now it belongs to white people. It’s like there is a barrier that blocks his path into going there. This definitely presents injustice as he is not able to go there because of his colour. Both these poems give vivid pictures when you read them. Juxtaposition also presents injustice in both these poems. In Limbo there is good and bad, as in heaven and hell in the poem. It first starts sad and then happy so â€Å"stick is the whip and the dark deck is slavery† then later on â€Å"up up up up / and the music is saving† â€Å"The drum stick knock / and the darkness is over me† it is like the bad has gone and the good is here, everyone can be happy. In Nothing’s Changed it shows black and white people, being separate. â€Å"new, up-market, haute cuisine, guard at the gatepost, whites only inn† then to â€Å"Down the road, working man’s cafe sells bunny chows. Comparing the 2different stores the rich one for white only and the poor to black people.

Charlemagne: Known as Charles The Great

Charlemagne, also known as Charles the Great, became the undisputed ruler of Western Europe, â€Å"By the sword and the cross.† As Western Europe was deteriorating Charlemagne was crowned the privilege of being joint king of the Franks in 768 AD. People of Western Europe, excluding the church followers, had all but forgotten the great gifts of education and arts that they had possessed at one time. Charlemagne solidly defeated barbarians and kings in identical fashion during his reign. Using the re-establishment of education and order, Charlemagne was able to save many political rights and restore culture in Western Europe. Charlemagne was born in 742 AD, to a very famous and well-known family. Charlemagne†s grandfather was Charles Martel, the man who was responsible for the defeat of the Saracens. Charlemagne was also the eldest son of Betrade and Pepin the Short, the first to become king of the Franks. With the almost full extinction of schools in the 8th century, many historians say that Charlemagne received very little education, but did learn the art of reading from Bertrade. In 768 AD, Charlemagne at the age of 26, along with his brother Carloman inherited the kingdom of Franks. However, in 771 AD Carloman died, making Charlemagne the sole ruler of the kingdom. At this time the northern part of Europe was out of order and unruly. In the south, the Roman Catholic Church was asserting itself alongside the Lombard kingdom in Italy. While in Charlemagne†s own kingdom, the people were becoming and acting as barbarians and neglecting education and faith. But Charlemagne was determined to make his kingdom as strong as possible. In 772 AD, Charlemagne put forth a 30-year campaign to conquer and Christianize the Saxons in the north. He charged over the Avars, a large tribe on the Danube. He forced the Bavarians to surrender to him. When possible Charlemagne attempted to settle his conflicts peacefully. However, he was forced to use brute in some situations. For instance, Charlemagne offered to pay Desiderius for the return of lands to the pope, but after Desiderius refused, Charlemagne seized the kingdom of Desiderius and restored the Papal States. By 800 AD Charlemagne was the sole ruler of Western Europe. His immense kingdom included what are now France, Switzerland, Belgium, and the Netherlands. It also covered half of present-day Italy and Germany, part of Austria, and the Spanish March. This Spanish March stretched to the Ebro River. Through his establishment of a single government over the entire Western Europe, Charlemagne re-established much of the old Roman Empire, which paved the way for the progress of present-day Europe. On Christmas Day in 800 while praying in St. Peter†s Cathedral in Rome, Pope Leo III approached Charlemagne with a golden crown and placed it on the head of the king. The crowd in the church shouted concurrently, â€Å"To Charles the Augustus, crowned by God to be the great and peace-giving emperor of the Romans, life and victory!† Doing this angered the Byzantines because Charlemagne†s prestige and power was equal to the Byzantine emperor. Another problem that arose was that the pope thereafter chose the Roman emperor among the European kings. At the time of Charlemagne†s death in 814 AD only one of his three sons, Louis the Pious was alive. Louis had a weak ruling after his father, which brought on many civil wars and rebellions. As king and emperor, he was very religious and it is said that the role of a monk better suited him than that of the Roman emperor. When Louis the Pious passed away, his three sons broke out in civil war for their father†s empire. In 843, the war ended when Lothair, Charles the Bald, and Louis the German signed the Treaty of Verdun. This pact separated the empire into three separate parts for each of Louis the Pious† sons. After the treaty was signed, the kings† power deteriorated and the government became weak. All of Europe was invaded and pirates and barbarians threatened the land. Charlemagne†s empire began to weaken.

Constructivist Epistemologies Bronfenbrenners Ecological Systems Literature review

Constructivist Epistemologies Bronfenbrenners Ecological Systems Theory of Human Development in Contemporary Psychology - Literature review Example Piaget’s development of a framework for a constructivist epistemology as well as the need for the expression of this in a theory of social psychology can be seen as a fundamental influence on the development of Bronfenbrenner’s ‘Ecological Systems Theory’.1 Table of Contents Table of Contents 2 I. Introduction 3 II. Constructivist Epistemology 5 III. Cognitive Synthesis & Knowledge Processing 7 IV. The Social Construction of Knowledge 8 V. The Role of Education in Knowledge Construction & Personal Development 10 VI. Ecology, Psychology, and Systems Theory 12 VII. Conclusion 14 15 VIII. References 15 â€Å"Ecological systems theory is an approach to study of human development that consists of the 'scientific study of the progressive, mutual accommodation, throughout the life course, between an active, growing human being, and the changing properties of the immediate settings in which the developing person lives, as this process is affected by the relations between these settings, and by the larger contexts in which the settings are embedded.† â€Å"Making Human Beings Human: Bioecological Perspectives on Human Development† + Urie Bronfenbrenner (2005, p.107) I. ... In the â€Å"Handbook of Child Psychology: Social, Emotional, and Personality Development† (2006), William Damon and Richard M. Lerner make the statement that "the self is a personal epistemology," which in its simplicity has profound implications for the approach to psychological methodology, a theory of knowledge, and also personal identity. (Damon & Lerner, 2006) Bronfenbrenner’s ‘Ecological Systems Theory’ of human development is based in a constructivist epistemology that explains personal development through interweaving environments that relate to knowledge systems in the family, school, workplace, culture, and history. Learning, memory, thinking, and behavior all include aspects of the way the mind apprehends, processes, and applies knowledge systems to the environment. In basing psychological methodology on a constructivist epistemology, a phenomenological approach to understanding human development through language, knowledge, and behavioral patte rn conditioning related to systems theory is proposed by Bronfenbrenner. Damon & Lerner (2006) cite the following studies as psychological references for the understanding of the self as a â€Å"personal epistemology†, the diversity accentuating the range of ‘Ecological Systems Theory’ in practical application: The â€Å"McMaster Model of Family Functioning† (NB Epstein, DS Bishop - Family Studies Review, 1984 – also: 1973, 1981, 1991) â€Å"Implicit Social Cognition: Attitudes, Self-esteem, and Stereotypes† (AG Greenwald, Psychological Review, 1995) â€Å"The Psychology of Personal Constructs - Vols. 1 & 2† (GA Kelly, New York: Norton: 1955) â€Å"The Self in Thought and Memory† (H Markus – ‘The Self in

Discuss the challenges that global warming presents to both Essay

Discuss the challenges that global warming presents to both governments and business - Essay Example Lord Stern further pointed out that the increasing levels of carbon dioxide and other toxic chemicals into our atmosphere seems to represent a ‘business-as-usual’ attitude which does not bode well for our environment. He calculates that every ton of carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere implies a $30 charge for the social cost and if not stopped, about 1-2% of our global GDP per year would be reduced. Our industries would also have to suffer the higher cost of climate change through adjustments in their carbon emissions (Meister, 2008). The tourist industry would also likely be impacted by global warming because businesses would incur losses or closures caused by waves, hurricanes, floods, and storms. These weather disturbances would likely reduce â€Å"international outbound and inbound tourist traffic† (Meister, 2008). Many heritage sites which are top tourist draws are also often damaged by these weather disturbances. In the end, these areas will lose the ir attractiveness; and as a result fewer tourists would visit these places (Meister, 2008). The challenge for the tourist industry would now be on how to stay economically viable despite global warming conditions. This would likely prompt these businesses to either find alternative sources of business or to help maintain such tourist spots and prevent them from deteriorating. The areas which would likely be impacted significantly by the global warming phenomenon are the third world nations like Bangladesh and areas like Mumbai in India and Indonesia; these areas have low coastlines and would likely be affected the most by global warming (Webber, 2002). The floods caused by monsoon rains as well as the droughts in some parts of the world are just some of the occurrences which are likely to be seen with more frequency in the coming years. The challenge for businesses in these areas would be on how to stay afloat amidst these weather disturbances which may destroy their crops and disru pt their supply chains. Insurers have a major share in companies, including those in the oil industry. The challenge for them is on the pressure they can exert on these companies in order to prompt them to recover their losses amidst natural disasters and also how these insurance companies can still gain profits (Webber, 2002). The challenge for businesses is on the switch to fuels which they have to implement in order to help reduce the emissions of toxic chemicals. The challenge is for them to use alternative sources of fuel which would create less greenhouse gases. Fuel switching would be a costly venture for most businesses because these sources of fuel are limited sources and would require more than the usual processing (Webber, 2002). Moreover, these alternative sources of fuel would cost millions to structure in to the industries. In the end, these financial costs are often passed to the consumers – consumers who are already undergoing various economic difficulties in recent years. Economists also point out that for companies who are located in areas which are often visited by droughts or floods, insurance companies may eventually find them uninsurable (Hagen, 2007). Many farmers would also likely invest in new areas which may be

Cultural Superstition Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Cultural Superstition - Essay Example I will discuss the myth associating the number 13 to bad luck, and even more recently extending it to Friday the 13th being unlucky (Vyse 21). Even people and societies who claim not to have superstitious inclinations are prone to do some things they cannot explain, like hanging on to the fear of the number 13. It is such a widespread phenomenon that has its own name; triskaidekaphobia (Weisstein 1). I learned of the superstition as a child in the junior school through narratives and story books. I also encountered it practically on a public transport bus. The passenger seats were numbered from one to 62, but without any explanation, there was no seat number 13. As expressed in numerology, the number 12 is viewed as a symbol of completeness. Going forth to number 13 is seen as an irregular transgression. This can be shown in examples such as the 12 gods of Olympus, 12 months of the year, 12 tribes of Israel, 12 hours of the clock, 12 Disciples of Jesus, 12 signs of the Zodiac and Muh ammad’s successors in Shia Islam (Wilson and Reill 31). Among the many origins of the superstition, some date back to the biblical days of Jesus Christ and His 12 disciples (Turcan 10). In Christian theology, there were 13 people at the Last Supper before Jesus Christ was betrayed. Further linking the misfortunes of number 13 to Friday, after the betrayal, Jesus Christ died on a Friday. Ironically, Judas Iscariot, who was the betrayer, was the 13th person to take his place at the dinner table. This myth is still held today that if there at 13 people having a meal together, it will lead to the death of one of them (Turcan 12). Still on Biblical times, even before the birth of Jesus Christ, there were only 12 tribes of Israel, which bears His ancestry (Turcan 12). In the Norse mythology, 12 benevolent gods were sitting in a gathering in a hall (Vyse 29). Then the evil, uninvited god, Loki, turned up and attacked them. Loki happened to be the 13th person to arrive at the gatheri ng, and his attack led to the death of the god named Balder. Balder’s death eventually resulted to the deaths of several other gods, a chain of natural disasters and the abolition of all things on earth except for two humans who survived. Although this is only a myth, it emphasizes the swing of misfortunes that followed the arrival of the 13th person at an otherwise peaceful gathering (Wilson and Reill 14). History also has records that the superstition is also upheld by the high in society. Among these dignitaries was American President Franklin D. Roosevelt. He was rather fearful of the number 13, that he took extensive measures to steer clear of hosting a meal that had 13 guests. He would invite his secretary, even though not necessary to non state functions, to increase the number from 13 to 14 (Vyse 25). In the traditional Roman Empire, there were 13 steps of the stairs leading up to the gallows. The legend also offers that the hangman’s noose traditionally had 13 turns. These two notions present a direct link to death with number 13 (Turcan 12). Further on the connection of 13th to Friday, in the year 1307, there occurred a mass arrest followed by executions of the Knights Templar on Friday, October 13th (Weisstein 1). The arrests, which took place in France, were allegedly financially motivated by the royal bureaucracy under Philip IV to raise the prestige associated with the crown. Although it is widely accepted that this is a relatively recent observation,

GRoup think on SMall Group about how the class elaborates how people Essay

GRoup think on SMall Group about how the class elaborates how people go with the group - Essay Example Studies have proved that despite group’s decision on certain matters, individuals of the same group may have different opinions of their own. However, the group exerts certain amount of force on members to preserve unanimity, for which they might sacrifice personal opinions. Internal and external reasons force members to go with the group regardless of personal perspectives. Symptoms of groupthink In order to understand the factors causing groupthink, one should identify the symptoms of this threat. According to Freeman (1999), a group that is vulnerable to groupthink is less likely to seek alternatives in its decision making processes; moreover, it will heed little attention to distinctive ideas or external assistance (p. 249). This attitude is termed as the ‘illusion of infallibility’ due to which the group rebuffs the advice of experts and tends to flaw. Another reason that determines the intensity of groupthink is the size of the organization. According to exp erts, large groups are more likely to promote groupthink. To illustrate, in a comparatively bigger group, individuals are normally reluctant to take up initiatives; instead, they would join the common decision of the group. Fear is the root cause of this unanimity; and to avert flaws, members hide their personal views while they are in big groups. In contrast, a group’s unusually small size also can become a reason for groupthink. Minority groups often tend to maintain socially unfavorable levels of cohesiveness. In order to vie with the majority segments, many minority groups choose subversive activities. We can see such stereotypical ideologies that intensify domestic as well as international tensions across the globe. Political parties, ethnic groups, and even governmental bodies also can be affected by groupthink. As discussed earlier, the exceeding emphasis on unanimity compels individuals to sacrifice their personal opinions often regardless of their relevance to the co ntext. The paucity of multiple responses normally leads to immediate decisions presumably in favor of the group leadership. This really reminds us the significance of invoking personal perspectives during the process of decision making in groups. Furthermore, members’ overdependence is another notable symptom of groupthink. Most of the groups are basically vulnerable to this threat as members maintain higher degree of expectation on leadership. They rely on leader’s quality and skills and anticipate higher level of achievement from him. Once they come to realize the inability or limitation of the leadership, they would attribute group failure to the leadership. Strategic approach to groupthink Although modern organizations pay higher emphasis on teamwork and organizational cohesion as their competitive advantage, they are required to heed genuine effort to the formulation of strategies to meet the challenges of groupthink. The following part will discuss some of the po pular strategies that HR managers often apply in their groups to address groupthink. As Thompson (2006), purports, managers can invite varying perspectives into the decision making process because according to the author, the paucity of varying opinion was the cause of many governmental and organizational failures (p.177). Hence, as the group environment becomes more viable, members will get more opportunity to interact with experts which in turn will positively influence the decision making. The logic is that; the more a group is exposed to external

Research Paper for Financial market Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

For Financial market - Research Paper Example The opinions of these individuals range from over-leveraging of the financial products and excessive risk-taking by banks to unjustifiable executives bonuses and salaries and the lack of sufficient regulation of the money and capital markets. It is important to provide an overview of the causes of the economic hardships that prevailed following the Great Recession which began in 2007. This paper is focused on analyzing the causes of the 2008 financial crises with a view of avoiding decisions that associated with negative economic impacts, such as the collapse of the largest financial institution prior to 2008 (Lehman Brothers); the collapse of the Lehman Brothers on September 2008 resulted in the loss of significant investments, jobs and substantial effects on the general performance of the economy (Quirk 31). The subprime mortgages are classified as risky mortgages due to the high probability of defaulting on the loan payment by mortgage borrowers; on the other hand, the prime mortgage is considered less risky mortgage since the borrowers are unlikely to default on the loan payment. The subprime mortgages are considered by a majority of lenders as profitable given the fact that they are associated with high levels of high-interest rates; however, the borrower is likely to fail to meet the periodical payments and the total sum of the loan. The period prior to the financial crisis of 2008, there was an increased competition among the mortgage lenders that saw a number of these players relaxed the underwriting standards to experience increased profits and significant market share (Weber 159). In this respect, there was a tendency by a majority of the mortgage lenders to lend subprime mortgages (risky mortgages) among borrowers with low level of creditworthiness. The lending of the risky mor tgages was notable among mortgage lenders between 2004 and 2007; this

Constitutional Law M9 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Constitutional Law M9 - Essay Example Therefore, Gideon had to defend himself in the trial. After his guilty was confirmed, he was sentenced to imprisonment for five years. This became a contentious issue which presented this crucial aspect that as protected by the Sixth and Fourteenth Amendments, the failure by the state court in appointing counsel for Gideon went against his fair trial rights. Conclusion The Court held that Gideon had a right to be represented in court. This was arrived at in a unanimous opinion. The Court found that in this case, for fair trial, the guarantee by the Sixth Amendment of a counsel was a right which was fundamental. With the absence of counsel assistance, a poor defendant is not guaranteed justice thus the trial would not be fair. Lawyers in criminal courts are not merely luxuries but necessities. In the past, if one was arrested for breaking the law, it was unless you had money that one could have the right to an attorney. This became a right because Clarence Gideon, who was a prison inm ate lacking the money for council representation, wrote a personal petition to the Court. Without a lawyer, he managed to take his case to the Supreme Court and winning important rights for all. It was in 1961, when Clarence Gideon was apprehended for breaking into a pool hall. He was a prime suspect since he had the profile of a law breaker because he was a 51-year old drifter with a criminal record. With little education, since he had not even finished the eighth-grade, he knew two things when he was arrested: (1). He was innocent (2). He would not have a chance to convince a jury of this fact since he did not have a lawyer. Gideon asked the judge to get him legal council to stand for him in court because he was unable to hire one. The judge refused, then convicted and sentenced him to five years in jail. Gideon utilized his jail time. He first filed a petition before the Supreme Court of Florida but it was denied. Next, he filed a petition in the Court in which he argued that put ting him on trial without legal representation was not fair since he was denied his rights as clearly stated in the14th Amendment of the constitution. Since Gideon filed the petition, he was the petitioner while Louie L. Wainwright being the person against whom the petition was filed, was in this case the respondent (a petition against Wainwright was filed by Gideon since Wainwright was responsible for Florida prisons where he was held illegally). However, 20 years earlier, the Court dismissed the argument that every defendant reserves the right to an attorney. This was the biggest problem for Gideon. Therefore, his appeal hand-written as it was, was requesting the Supreme Court for a change of its mind on the issue. He was fortunate that the Court was ready to consider doing this. At the time of his appeal (1963), almost half of all of those convicted in state courts were not financially capable of hiring a lawyer. A lot of convictions had to be reversed by the Supreme Court Justic es because of serious legal errors made after the defendants had been forced to argue out their case in court without legal representation. Therefore, the Court made a decision to listen to Gideon's petition, and a famous Washington attorney by the name Abe Fortas was appointed to represent him. We later on see that a few years later, Fortas became a member of the Supreme Court. In Gideon v. Wainwright decision1963, the Supreme Court had a unanimous agreement that: any person tried without an attorney can’

Why Do Religions Exist Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Why Do Religions Exist - Essay Example In Sri Lanka, a Buddhist Monk walks effortlessly along a pebbled pathway meditating in a Monastery garden. At the same time, a prophet in Israel announces the coming of the ‘Day of the Lord.’ Such activities have been going on for many years, and they are likely to continue for longer (Houtman, 2010). Scholars have been trying to explore and comprehend the idea about religion, Nevertheless, for a long time, they have not been able to state precisely what religion is. They have always tried to define religion but always come up with less satisfying results. Regardless of how carefully they define the concept of religion, others will always indicate what the definition has left out (Evans, 1985). When someone poses a question, what religion is, one may point to a church, a mosque, a temple, a Sikh Gurdwara or any other sacred place of worship and claim that people who go to this places are religious. He will draw attention to the places of worship and the people who go the re. He will also site sacred texts such as the Bible and the Koran. Many have tried to understand religion based on its effect on society and individual persons. Scholars have been trying to explain the universal existence of religion in all cultures. Every culture has some system of supernatural beliefs; however, it is not possible to prove beyond doubt that any supernatural powers such as gods, witches, angels or devils exist. Moreover, these supernatural powers do not always work as effectively as practitioners want. For instance, praying to God for the recovery of a sick person but the person dies, a ritual specialist conducts a rain dance, but it still does not rain: or relatives sacrificing a goat at the gravesite of the ancestor-god, but drought still destroys them (James, 2008). Nonetheless, disengaging certain characteristics from the totality of human life and labeling it as religion receives considerable support by the fact that such gestures are clearly different from or dinary ways of behaving. Religious activities often take place in an artificially contrived time, space or a certain mode of consciousness. Liturgical calendars’, Sacred places, meditative moods, extraordinary fasting, exceptional communal or private actions, meditating, sacrificing, prophesying, praying, self-denial are some of the gestures that give a notion of being a stylized divergence from normality. They all have a quality of caricature, play-acting, and sometimes unnaturalness. They stand out so obviously from every day such that they are difficult to avoid. They have a special name, and that is ‘religion’. However, there is no single anniversary accepted definition of religion (Evans, 1985). Experts disagree with regard to the definition so much that religion is one thing to Anthropologist, another to the Sociologist and Another to the psychologist. Consequently, there is a great variety of religious theories of the nature of religion. Definition of reli gion can be too broad and may include what dominates or appear to be the ultimate concern in the human life; Children, Home, Work Entertainment among others. Religion can also mean to bid worshippers to the deity by observance of cultish ceremonies and acts of devotion. Max Weber argues that trying to define religion as a scholar of religion at the start is a mistake.  

Discussion question week 4 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Discussion question week 4 - Essay Example rkable example of a company that has experienced that, and discussing the differences of domestic and global marketing strategies (Adamson et al, 2007). A brand is a figure of the features that makes a product exceptional. Every business has its brand. Various businesses attempt, but several fail at building a winning brand. When a company notices that its sales are flagging, it blames it on the brand. The shift of focus has moved from the product-blame to the brand-blame, thus relating to the manner the buyer’s conduct transforms (Ries et al. 2002). Branding is a more effective method of selling products; thus entirely fine products can be unsuccessful because of poor branding. Branding increases the returns but also intensifies the risks. The emotional ties developed by customers and brands ought not to be broken as messing with them results in irreparable damage. A brand acquires strength though the market constantly remains subtle. Coca-Cola ranks top of the list as the most identified brand with a sale of almost 1 billion drinks each day. However, when Coca-Cola stopped the distribution of the original Coca-Cola drink, i t replaced it with the New Coke drink to match up the competition posed by Pepsi-Cola. New Coke hardly made any sales as the consumers rebelled against it (Gobe, 2010). Coca-Cola learnt the hard way that marketing is more than the product. It had simply focused on the taste factor when it was strategizing to build on its product, in the process missing its major brand property, which is originality. Coca-Cola had been the only product in the market ever since its foundation, with the brand name becoming product’s name as well/ Coca-Cola majorly capitalized on its original status in the various promotional campaigns (Cross Cultural Blunders). The launch of New Coke was a contradiction to the marketing efforts by Coca-Cola. It was very misguided confining the brand’s importance to a question of taste. The representation was more important

Amir as the Narrator Essay Example for Free

Amir as the Narrator Essay The novel The Kite Runner is narrated by the main character, Amir. The novels follows Amir’s struggling path from adolescence to manhood. Amir tells the story of his life growing up in Kabul with his father, Baba and their two Hazara servants Hassan and Ali. Hassan is Amir’s half brother and best friend growing up; testing friendships, keeping secrets, accepting faults and gaining understanding. The two spent many years enjoying playing and kite fighting together as brothers. Amir describes his relationship with Hassan as very close and personal; he enjoys learning and growing with Hassan even though Hassan is considered below him in their society; expected to be a servant to Amir, not a companion. Although Hassan and Amir’s relationship seemed unbreakable, the winter of 1975 changed everything. Amir tells us of the major â€Å"kite fighting† competition that happens every year with all the local kids. Soon after Amir wins the competition that year, tragedy occurs with Hassan in a back alley, he is raped by a neighborhood boy, Assef. Amir witnesses this and tells no one about it. This later unravels the relationship between him and Hassan resulting in Hassan and Ali leaving Amir and Baba’s home. Throughout the novel, Amir is completely changed from this event. Throughout the book Amir struggles to be the son his father, Baba wants him to be. He feels that his father burdens Amir with the death of his mother because she died giving birth to Amir. Amir tells how Baba is very critical of him and makes him feel as though he can never reach his father’s expectations. Amir feels as though he needs to fight with Hassan for his father’s approval. Although he never had an ideal relationship with Baba, Amir loves and respects him to the fullest. Baba guides Amir through life helping him in becoming the best man he can be. Later in the novel Amir realizes how much he appreciated Baba.

The Uk Budget Hotel Sector Literature Review Tourism Essay

The Uk Budget Hotel Sector Literature Review Tourism Essay The negative connotation, which camped in the thoughts of regulars of small-sized commercial hotels, also known as budget hotels, is being substituted by a perceptual experience of affordability, proficiency and decency (Parsons, G., 2008). The swift shifting market changing aspects has positively affected the budget hotels fragment. This can be observed from the elation amongst local and international hospitality operators of budget hotels. There is a well-defined shape of evolving European vacationer over the direction the hospitality industry is taking (Solomon, M. R., 1992). Budget hotels are in the progression of being redefined with novel models, innovations as well as strategies. With converting mentality of customers and operators, modern-day budget hotels have fully taken a U-turn with unhesitating contrast. Being at a time when mini-full service hotels are acknowledged as business class, budget hotels have a healthy future. Budget hotels are compacted with simple facilities for apprehensive business travelers, hence targeting a precise market division of middle-rank business executives and price-sensitive corporate. Competitive hospitality entities are sensibly priced while having good service, style, and ambiance, and they manifest professionalism (Deloitte, 2004). A very high growth for budget hotels is envisioned, however the situation would be shrank due to deficit in supply of professional human capital. Nevertheless the encounters lay ahead need to be assumed as the spirit to test and the zeal to outshine continue. The UK Budget Hotel Sector In the UK, the budget hotel sector is at a point of exponential growth (McCaskey D., 2000).The branded budget hotel market remains to be controlled by hardly two heavy players. This is in reference to a new study by TRI Hospitality Consulting. Table 1 below from Budget Hotels 2010 UK show that the leading brand, Premier Inn, owned 41,511 rooms by the end of 2009, earning it a market share of about 38%; The closest contender to Premier Inn was Travelodge, having 27,010 rooms by the close of 2009, earning Travelodge a market share of almost 25%. Premier Inn and Travelodge therefore control over two thirds of the budget hotel brands market in the United Kingdom. Table 1 UK Leading Budget Hotels Operators Source: Budget Hotels 2010 UK Brand Number of Hotels Number of rooms Premier Inn 582 41 511 Travelodge 377 27 010 Holiday Inn Express 109 12 464 Ibis 53 7 173 Jurys Inn 23 5 828 Innkeepers Lodge 91 2 652 Etap 17 2 212 Ramada Encore 16 1 947 Days In 30 1 834 Day Hotel 12 1 562 The branded budget sector in the United Kingdom is centered in just a couple of companies. However, the competition keeps on to fly high in the general hotel industry as the budget hotels take over the mid-market hotels and boardinghouses. Jonathan Langston, the managing director of TRI Hospitality Consulting agrees with this observation (Parsons, G. 2008). After 1993, the count of rooms in budget hotel in the United Kingdom has risen by more than 10 times from 10,555 rooms in 1993 to 109,528 rooms at the close of 2009. Although Premier Inn and Travelodge control the branded budget market, many new brands have been coming up into the sector (Tri Hospitality Consulting, 2010).The most fortunate competitor to Premier Inn and Travelodge has been Holiday Inn Express which currently runs 109 hotels having 12,464 rooms (Tri Hospitality Consulting, 2010). However, this is less than 50% of the Travelodges number of rooms, and less than 30% of Premier Inn. Recession Impacts on the Budget Hotel Sector The new study, done by HotStats and issued by industry newsletter Hotel Analyst, as well makes it clear that while robust, the budget hotel sector has not remained unhurt by the economic downturn. Throughout 2009, returns per available room went down by 9.1%, with tenancy falling by 5.9% points to 67.8% and rate holding up better with a decline of 1.1% to  £50.97. The effect of recession on the budget hotel sector was confirmed by Jonathan Langston when he said, The budget hotel market has truly been the hotel industrys success story of the last decade. While trading has suffered in the recession, new hotels are continuing to open, reflecting the long term viability of the segment, (TRI Hospitality Consulting, 2010, Pp. 1). The Budget Hotel Market Environment The UK Budget hotel sphere began in 1985 with the inaugural of the Ibis at Heathrow, as well as Little Chef Travel Lodge. Ten years later, there were about 400 budget hotels having 28,500 rooms in total. As already mentioned in this paper, the budget hotel sector is exponentially growing, becoming increasingly swift; Merrill Lynch forecast the budget hotel rooms to increase from 40,000 in 1999 to 80,000 in 2003 taking a 20% share of the UK hotel market (Deloitte, 2004). An exploration study by the Henley Centre (2000) Leisure in the New Millennium staged to the Joint Hospitality Industry Congress (JHIC) demonstrated that development in real disposable income was increasing demand. This unrestricted spend had been arising at 2.6% since 1995 and was visualized to speed up its rate of growth to 3.7% Compound Annual Growth Rate by 2005. Leisure consumption was shifting from being looked upon as a luxury to becoming a necessity, in fact, almost an elementary human right. The effect of individuals seeing leisure as part of their run-of-the-mill running expenses should be to cut down the industrys cyclicality. Afore the budget hotel industrys historical perspective as suffering from a hyperbolized cycle, the realism is that this industry has developed at a similar rate as the GDP since 1993 (McCaskey D., 2000). There is a lot of evidence to demonstrate that every night budget hotels in the UK growingly affranchise the population into budget hotel use. This must be a wanted shift from the 1960s the time at which fewer than 5% of the population in the UK stayed in UK hotels, to the rates experienced today 21st Century, when more that 50% of the UKs population are active hotel users. Arguably, McDonalds was a chief accelerator in stimulating the development of the UK eating-out market. McDonalds got rid of many of the roadblocks or inhibitions to hotel usage. Several strategic success reasons behind McDonaldss QSCV (Quality, Service, Cleanliness and Value) are very relevant to budget hotels. To protect its name that could be taken advantage of, McDonaldss attorneys had to deter one business from brand-marking its hotel product McSleep (McCaskey D., 2000). With 80,000 rooms and 80% tenancy rate, approximations point that, budget hotels will accommodate more than 23,000,000 room-nights per year; in other words over 55% of an entire UK PLC demand. Kleinwort, B. (1996) figures demonstrate that back in 1995, UK PLC hotels gave 31.35 million room nights on sale. Accordingly, these newly lodge formats having low cost base have become a major challenge to two-thirds of the star conventional hotels which incline to having comparatively high costs reinforced into their operations and per se, lack the plasticity to elevate their operation to four-star levels, or to reduce costs to empower them to tie lodge prices. McCaskey, D. (2000) depicted budget hotels as a more and more hungry Pac Man as they cut a strip through the current industry. Similar volatile increase in lodge facility in the United States from the mid 60s to the late 70s left many of the USs distracted mid-market hotels in confusion. In the air, Governmental deregulation engendered the development of low cost airlines, a move that served to give rise to the speedy end of Pan Am and TWA. Deregulation is at present in full spate in the United Kingdom and Europe with a radical diminishing effect on costs and subsequent revenues in both airline and hotel industries. In the United States, the waysides and conurbation are now full of supererogatory and peripheral lodge properties constructed all through their boom years while some companies such as Red Roof Inns and La Quinta still record continuing success every year (McCaskey, D., 2000). The Battle for Market Share The budget hotel market has all the features of the growth phase in the product/service life cycle, making it an apotheosis. The marketing processes commonly associated with the growth phase are: The approaches which promote resilient brand loyalty; The approaches which reinforce market share: The approaches which improve a competitive status and underline the differentiated benefits. The marketing activities of Travel Inn brand, owned by Whitbread Hotel Company, stand out to clearly exemplify the above three. Travel Inn brand has been so orchestrated to cut down the risk of a negative client experience and has built a lasting value. Travel Inn conforms to all the standards for classification as a Leadership Brand, ranked beside other brands including Coca-Cola, Volvo, Disney, as well as Tesco. In other words, Travel Inn and the other four live a sort of Total Brand Management lacking in other organizations. Other budget hotels also need to pursue similar status. The exemplified companies and Travel Inn have a tenacity that communicates all that they do for everybody to know what they can best do for the brand. To affirm this take, Travel Inn competitive advantages have been examined using the Seven Characteristics of Leadership Brands model (Tilley, C., 1999). The Seven are the common elements to be found in all leading brands; they are the ways by which brands r egularly and consistently bear their promise. Travel Inn is the prominent market leader in the mushrooming budget hotel industry; attaining 86% room tenancy, across its 250 outlets, noting that every newly opened Travel Inn operates for about three years before it gains about maximum penetration in its home-grown area. This dilutes Travel Inns general mean group occupancy. This budget hotel takes another three years to build its regular clientele base. Accordingly, Alan Parkers, Hotel Companys M.D. (Parker, A., 2000) argument that a great number of Travel Inns invariably performed at mid-90% tenancy, can be said of being bold as well as true. It is evident that Travel Inn is doing what others are not doing in order to successfully remain competent. For instance in 1999, Travel Inn recorded a staggering 78% repeat occupation. Further analysis of Travel Inns figures staged that 77% of its customers stayed doubly or more throughout a year. In the meantime, 33% of the budget hotels customers stayed over 21 nights per annum year while more than 15,000 stayed every single night (Tri Hospitality Consulting, 2010). In contrast to other UK budget hotels, Travel Inn finds another competitive advantage on booking; Travel Inn has a system by which its regular customers are able to book further and further beforehand to secure their spaces. Competitive Advantage Success factors held by one budget hotel can be adopted by another. Travel Inn does a number of things that place it at a better place to successfully compete in the market. In reference to Travel Inn, the following strategies have been found to help budget hotels in competing successfully for market share: 1. Competitive budget hotels influence the conducts of their clients instead of following conventions and markets; they create customers. It is a practice and tradition in the hotel sector to come up a sophisticated rate of discounts. These discounts may be related to the volume of business and booking period among others. This strategy is meant to maintain and generate demand to make the most of tenancy and price. However, some budget hotels run without these incentives abs they still make it in competitive business. This could imply that there are factors other than this that place such brands on a competitive edge. For instance, Travel Inn does not offer such discounts; it neither pays travel agent commissions. As much as these are revolutionary departures from the budget hotel industry norm, Travel Inn still out-performs the occupation averages for the budget hotel sector. Travel Inns AARR (average achieved room rate) without discounts is the chains rack rate. 2. Competitive budget hotels efficaciously make a meaning that is more than just a function of the product or service. The best meanings are grounded on profoundly felt human needs. A research report on June 29, 2009 by Guy Parson, the Director of Marketing at Travel Inn, indicated that Travel Inn was more welcoming compared to Holiday Inn Express or Travel Lodge. The report also confirmed the speculations that Travel Inn was the first option in cheap accommodation. Very encouraging client gratification surveys as well as mystery shopping rates were being attained throughout Travel Inn and were invariably supervised. From this quantitative and qualitative research it was learnt that clients truly enjoyed their Travel Inn rooms that were new and lively (Parsons, G., 1999). Travel Inn has a compulsory total renovation after every three years, up to and including the bed. Evidently, there are other budget hotels which are riding on a similar competitive edge. For instance, on September 10, 2009, David Michels (2000) gave a brief biography in which he stated that among his first undertakings immediately after taking over as Chief Executive of the tumultuous Stakis Hotel Group was to make a request to a bank to enable him to buy 4,000 new beds for the hotel. Michels, D., (2000) acknowledged that the move helped Stakis recuperate. Michels said, We are after all in the sleep business, it would seem that one of the major components in making this a pleasurable experience is frequently ignored (Michels, D., Pp. 3). From this proceeding, Paul Slatterys (1995) analysis established that the gap between UK hotels PLC and unquoted firms is daily broadening while the tormenting multitudes of independent budget hotels deteriorate into slums. How Budget Hotels Achieve Competitive Advantage Still using Travel Inn as an example, this paper now focuses on how the most successful budget hotels in the UK have achieve a competitive edge. 1. Leadership budget hotel brands stand for meaning everything that they do According to McCaskey, D. (1999), the Travel Inn line of attack in relation to pricing is totally ethical. Leadership budget hotel brands take a pluralist line, such as an impression that a companys performance ought to be looked at in a much more pluralistic manner than just by the bottom line. Such budget hotels frequently go beyond the minimal demands of Corporate Governance. These budget hotels policy is an example of good practice. Given tenancy figures and the significant amount or deflected demand, Whitbread could maximize its price easily. Notwithstanding, Whitbread stands for the prices which are conventional, competitive, widespread, logical and fair, which makes it to easily communicate the prices throughout its affiliates. There are only three classes of prices in the UK budget hotel industry; Roadside, Metro (in City Centre) and Capital (in London). However, leadership budget hotel brands carry out price research to insure that the prices are in line with customer value. It is believed that many of Whitbreads contenders simply follow Whitbreads lead. Though the pricing warfare has for a long time successfully invaded the unjust pricing in retail banking, super-marketing and automobile distribution, there are however too many doubtful practices in the UKs budget hotel industry (McCaskey, D., 1999). These questionable traditions comprise of: Hyperbolic rack rates; Bait and Switch publicizing promotions; Single-room supplements, and; Over-Riding Commissions (kick-backs given to agents/ middlemen and their staff. Given the present-day consumer rights desired order of business, the four questionable practices will unavoidably be disclosed. 2. Leadership budget hotel brands are steady and expressive in every facet of their communication This strategy ensures understanding. Whitbreads recent innovational TV promotion fully conforms to this approach. A reexamination study staged in April 2000 affirmed that the purposes set for this TV commercial were outmatched. The researchs outcomes demonstrated that: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Spontaneous awareness had risen from 12% in April 1999 to 26% in May 2000. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Prompted awareness had risen from 67% in April 1999 to 82% in May 2000. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ New logo recognition rose from 17% in April 1999 to 51% in May 2000. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Over the campaign period, there was a 16.5% increase in Central Reservation calls à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Over the year there had been a 99% increase in e-mail requests and a 900% increase in Web Site visitors. The site should take interactive bookings shortly. (Whitbread Marketing Department August, 2000, Pp. 12) The Whitbreads staff handbook on the other hand captures the effect of the brand which is apportioned among team players. These foreshortened extracts from Whitbreads staff handbook are a model of what ought to be carried out by other UK budget hotels. The book states: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Dare to care; Budget hotel staffs need to show considerateness, regard client as special so as to ensure that the brand transcends what is expected. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Keep it simple; Budget hotel staffs should not over-complicate matters; Whitbreads staff are informed that being informal helps them to communicate crush barriers. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Right first time; Budget hotel staffs ought to be passionate about the industry standards. The then Whitbreads CEO David Thomas (2000) got this Right First Time attribute right with an instance serving as a lesson for the budget hotel sector. Mr. Thomas said that Most of the budget hotel sector needs continuous investment in people. He said, This is an area where I believe we most frequently shoot ourselves in the foot. Putting a raw recruit with little or no training and, no experience, in front of a customer is unforgivable. In the end this is the most expensive option to take because we then have to find more raw recruits and more customers, because the experience demeans them both, (Thomas, D., 2000, Pp. 7). Thomas (2000) continued to say that by the budget hotels industry standards, Whitbread had comparatively a low staff turnover. According to Mr. Thomas, the investment of budget hotels in training and improvement, and competitive pay and considerations, are critical factors in the future of the budget hotel industry. These tools of the trade, Mr. Thomas said, shape the future of this industry. 3. Leadership budget hotel brands are dynamic, invariably adopting to meet new demands and remain pertinent In a 1998 brand re-launch, Project Catapult, Guy Parsons (1999) clearly redefined the brand proposition. In his speech, Parsons suggested a number of things that ought to be done by UK budget hotels that wish to have a sharp competitive edge. Parsons proposed that UK budget hotels need to have a constant duologue between the hotel and its customers. A succeeding UK budget hotel in terms of competitive edge should have the following characteristics: It should fit its general mission statement; It is should be grounded in fact, and there should prove to support it; It should have a good tonal fit in line with the most recent research findings; It should suggest the audaciousness and confidence of being a market leader It should state its attention for internal motivation It should state its clear focus concerning communication It should bear in mind that price is not the center though value should still be The UK budget hotel according to Parsons, G. (1999) should use the above measures to draw their competitive strategies. Budget Hotels Societal Roles to Achieve Competitive Advantage Leadership Budget Hotel brands have social responsibilities According to Whitbreads Chief Executive, David Thomas (2000), during The Joint Hospitality Industry Congress at the Gloucester Millennium Hotel, leadership brands hold beliefs, positions and, conduct which earn the respect of the people outside the brand. A few years before 2000, Travel Inn had been criticized by some players in the budget hotel industry, and by a good number of city market analysts, for missing the chance of making short-term profits in Travel Inn. The analysts attributed the cause to having one national price that Travel Inn applied each throughout the week. After Travel Inn sharpened its strategies, Travel Inn it has since developed to become among the UKs biggest branded hotel chains having 250 hotels and 12,500 rooms. As tabled earlier on this paper, Travel Inns tenancy is increasing across the brand relative to its returns. Thomas bases Travel Inns success on a win-win approach between the brand and its clients. 2. Budget Hotel brands leadership is earned not given Leadership budget hotel brands percolate the whole establishment; they are not merely the organizations label. Leadership budget hotel brands serve as a living model of how well to carry on, what activity to do to achieve the best, and how to perform into the future. Other UK budget hotel brands need to realize the groundbreaking and innovative strategies developed by Whitbread. In its inauguration, Travel Inn yipped that it was set to start up a totally innovational and path-breaking scheme which would play a role in further differentiating it, give its brand the first mover status as well as maintain its intention as The UKs Favorite place to Stay. Successfully, Travel Inn has lived to live its initiation dream. This thus serves as an example to other UK budget hotel brands; they should set their own societal goals, live by them so as to place them in a better competitive position (Parsons, G., 1999). The Future for the UK Budget Hotel Sector Mr. Robert C. Hazard, President Choice Hotels, in the year 1994 was quoted saying, the period 2000-2010 will be the most competitive in the history of the UK Budget Hotel industry..every lodge must become more market driven, improving its product to create a unique, sustainable competitive advantage and a perception of greater value amongst its guests (Porter, M., 1996, Pp. 61). Porter argued that strategic advantage may be earned via uniqueness. He said, A company can only outperform rivals if it can establish a difference that it can preserve. It must deliver greater value to customers or create comparable value at lower cost or do both (Porter, M., 1996, Pp. 67). Porter also acknowledges that through differentiation, arithmetical productivity leads to superior measure and lets a company to charge even higher normal prices per units. It also makes a company get more efficient results even in lower than normal costs per unit and all this enable a company to achieve a virtuous circle . Today, the quick development stage in lodging services decelerates as the market attains full development and becomes concentrated. Predictions place this development at an infiltration that is approximately between 20% and 25% in the hotel market in United Kingdom. The predictions have mentioned important presence in the developments at the waysides, in the outskirts, in inner-cities and also in London. The hotel market in UK will be noticeably defined by price and quality groupings, from the super- budget to upper-market economic systems. Most hotels that will be the mid-market contributors in the current cluster include, Holiday Inn Express, Premier Lodge, Travel Inn and Travel Lodge. These hotels are expected to have realized their strategic and network aspirations and to have also settled most present matters such as the telephone facilities in the hotel bedrooms, the extra conference and meeting rooms. These improvements should be carefully examined so as to meet the actual cus tomer prerequisites. Increment in competition is expected over the years and growth in supply is also expected to surpass the growth in demand. The stronger players are gradually expected to battle one another instead of just taking business from the lesser participants as presently (Pricewaterhouse, 2010). In 1998, the Vice President of Holiday Inn Express, Mr. Shane Harris remarked that, The budget sector is over supplied with non-branded, poor quality, inconsistent hotels. These will be overtaken by the branded budgets which are currently undersupplied, (Harris, S., 1998, Pp. 21). The renowned betting and control organization, Pricewaterhouse Coopers recognize Brands as the large components of an organizations incorporeal worth (July 2000). Pricewaterhouse Coopers also influence brands capability to improve stakeholder worth with trademark tactics in formulating competitive benefit. The trademarking idea has changed from product advertising to service advertising. Corporate brands should steadily mirr or the capabilities of the particular organization. Table 2 Literature Review Matrix Author/Focus Industry Recession Environ Share Advantage Strategy Social Future Deloitte Kleinwort, B McCaskey Michels Parker, A. Parsons, G. Porter, M. Pricewaterhouse Slattery, P. Solomon, M Tilley, C. THC Whitbread

Determination of Gold Nanoparticle Sizes

Determination of Gold Nanoparticle Sizes Daron Chua Synopsis In this experiment, the objectives of this experiment was to understand the diverse applications of gold nanoparticles and to synthersize Colloidal gold nanoparticles by liquid chemical method. Z-average of nanoparticles for the reddish solution and the greyish solution was 60.86 and 50.40 respectively. However it was noted that there were impurities in the solution hence affecting the Z-average. As such, the colour of the solution and the Z-average did not tally. It was discovered that by adding salt into the solutions there will be colour change. This is due to NaCl aggregating the nanoparticles together. This causes the nanoparticles to absorb the red light hence reflecting the solution in a more blue colour. Other methods of forming gold nanoparticles and a diverse application for gold nanoparticles were noted. Introduction The objectives of this experiment was to understand the diverse applications of gold nanoparticles. Colloidal gold nanoparticles were synthesized by means of liquid chemical method. Theory Liquid Chemical Method Most of the gold nanoparticles are produced in a liquid (liquid chemical methods) byreduction of hydrogen tetrachloroautate (H[AuCl4]). By dissolving H[AuCl4], the solution is rapidly stirred while a reducing agent is being added. This causes Au3+ ions to be reduced to neutral goldatoms. As more and more of these gold atoms form, the solution becomes supersaturated, and gold gradually starts toprecipitatein the form of sub-nanometer particles. The rest of the gold atoms that form stick to the existing particles, and, if the solution is stirred vigorously enough, the particles will be fairly uniform in size showing the solution as red.To prevent the particles from aggregating, some sort of stabilizing agent that sticks to the nanoparticle surface is usually added. Also, gold colloids can be synthesized without stabilizers bylaser ablationsin liquids. They can be functionalized with various organic ligands to create organic-inorganic hybrids with advanced functionality. Several methods that revolve around this idea are Turkevich method, brust method and perrault method, etc. Gold Nanoparticles Colloidal goldis a suspension particles ofgoldin a fluid, usually water. The liquid is usually either an intense red colour (for particles less than 100nm) or blue/purple (for larger particles). As particle size increases, the wavelength of surface plasmon resonance related absorption shifts to longer, redder wavelengths. Red light is then absorbed, and blue light is reflected, yielding solutions with a pale blue or purple color. A change in temperature will also affect which the gold to be at a different energy band. The diameter of gold nanoparticles determines the Wavelength of light absorbed as shown on the diagram illustrated above. Procedures Stock Solution 0.1g of H[AuCl4] was dissolved in 500ml distilled water to obtain 1.0mM hydrogen tetrachloroautate. 0.5g of Na3C6H5O7.2H2O (trisodium citrate dehydrate) was dissolved in 50ml of distilled water to obtain 1% concentration. 0.5g of NaCl was dissolved in 10ml of distilled water. Experiment 20ml of 1.0mM H[AuCl4] was added to a conical flask. The conical flask was placed in a stirring hot plate and a magnetic stir bar was added. 2 samples were prepared. One was stirred continuously even it was at boiling point. The other sample stopped stirring once it was boiled. 2ml of 1% solution of trisodium citrate dehydrate was then added to the boiling solution. Gold Sol was gradually formed as citrate reduces the gold (III). Presence of a colloidal suspension was observed by the reflection of a laser beam from the particles. The solution of both samples were being transferred to two test tubes. 5 10 drops of 1M NaCl solution was added into one of the test tubes and the color change of the solution was being observed. The two solutions in the test tubes were being filtered with a 0.45 um syringe filter. The solutions were subsequently transferred into a sample holder. The Malvern Zetasizer Nano S Light scattering equipment was used to measure the size of the nanoparticles in the two sample holder. (0.47 refractive index was used.) Results Results as follows : Solution with spin even at boiling point : Colour observed : Reddish Brown Size of Gold nanoparticle : 63.77 with 3 peaks Peak 1 : 41.1, Peak 2 : 433.2, Peak 3 : 3913 Solution without spin at boiling point : Colour observed : Greyish / Bluish / Clear Size of Gold nanoparticle : 53.31 with 3 peaks Peak 1 : 143.9, Peak 2 : 1.651, Peak 3 : 3213 Calculation Standard Calibration 67.54nm 63.63nm = 2.91nm Size of Gold nanoparticle (Reddish/Brown) Z-Average 63.77nm 2.91nm = 60.86 nm Size of Gold nanoparticle (Greyish/Blue) Z-Average 53.31nm 2.91 nm = 50.40 nm Discussion From the results, Z average for the reddish brown solution was calculated at 60.86nm, while the greyish/blue was calculated at 50.40nm. With reference to theory, the results concluded by Z-average is inaccurate. By right, anything at the blue shift is of a larger particle size. By reading off the highest intensity peaks of both graphs of red and blue solutions, size of particles were 41.1nm and 143.9nm respectively. Ideally 1 peak in the chart would be best. Other peaks that affected the Z-average were probably impurities. This error may be due to carelessness of assuming all equipments provided for the experiment were clean. Hence there could be dirt or dust trapped whatsoever. In order to obtain even smaller particle sizes, adding of all solutions should have been done slowly, for example adding trisodium citrate drop by drop, allowing the droplet to fully react with the solution before adding in another. With that, the mixing part is no doubt the most crucial process parameter of the experiment. Other factors that affect particle sizes are mixing time and temperature and concentration. Different temperatures within the reaction will cause heat and mass transfer gradients. A low concentration of solution will yield too low of a result and lastly for our case, mixing time. Insufficient mixing time/stoppage of mixing will disallow the nanoparticles to disperse. Hence having a larger particle size. 1. Explain the functions of trisodium citrate used in this experiment. In this experiment, Trisodium citrate acts as an reducing agent to reduce hydrogen tetrachloroautate in order to produce spheroidal gold paticles. In general, the greater the concentration and power of the reducing agent. The smaller the resultant gold particles in the suspension. 2. Account for the colour change observed in step 4.6 In step 4.6 of the practical booklet, NaCl solution is added into the solution causing a colour change. By adding NaCl into the solution, it causes the gold nanoparticle surface charge to turn neutral, causing the nanoparticle to aggregate. As a result the solution colour changes from red to black blue. As for the greyish bluish solution, it turns to a even clearer solution. A larger particle size will cause absorption of the red light hence reflecting the solution as blue. 3. State two other synthesis methods for gold nanoparticles beside the liquid chemical method. Sonolysis One method for the experimental generation of gold particles is by sonolysis. The process is based on ultrasound. It uses the reaction of an aqueous solution of HAuCl4withglucose. The reducing agentsare hydroxyl radicals and sugar pyrolysis radicals. The morphology obtained is that of nanoribbons with width 30–50nm and length of several micrometers. These ribbons are very flexible and can bend with angles larger than 90Â °. When glucose is being replaced by cyclodetrin (a glucose oligomer), only spherical gold particles are obtained. Block Copolymer-mediated Method Other method for gold nanoparticles is by using a block copolymer.In this synthesis methodology, block copolymer plays the dual role of a reducing agent as well as a stabilizing agent. The formation of gold nanoparticles comprises three main steps: reduction of gold salt ion by block copolymers in the solution and formation of gold clusters, adsorption of block copolymers on gold clusters, and further reduction of gold salt ions on the surfaces of these gold clusters for the growth of gold particles in steps. This method usually has a limited-yield (nanoparticle concentration), which does not increase with the increase in the gold salt concentration. Recently a test has been done that by adding trisodium citrate in 1:1 molar ratio increases the gold formation by many gold. 4. Cite some other application in addition to those mentioned under introduction. Electronics Gold nanoparticles are designed for use as conductors from printable inks to electronic chips. As the world of electronics become smaller, nanoparticles are important components in the chip design. Nanoscale gold nanoparticles are being used to connect resistors, conductors, and other elements of an electronic chip. Probe Gold nanoparticles are relatively dense, making them useful as probes for transmission electron microscopy. Catalyst Gold nanoparticles are used as catalysts in a number of chemical reactions. The surface of a gold nanoparticle can be used for selective oxidation or in certain cases the surface can reduce a reaction (nitrogen oxides). Gold nanoparticles are being developed for fuel cell applications. These technologies would be useful in the automotive and display industry. Conclusion In conclusion, the experiment was not very successful as there were impurities in the solution. Hence the Z average was being affected. However objectives were met as colloidal gold was being synthesized and applications of gold particles were also understood. References http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colloidal_gold http://www.sigmaaldrich.com/materials-science/nanomaterials/gold-nanoparticles.html http://www.webexhibits.org/causesofcolor/9.html http://clustertwo.org/Shaowei Chen lectures/Cluster 2 lecture 2.pdf http://www.ivdtechnology.com/article/manufacturing-high-quality-gold-sol

The Beauty of Color Essay -- Creative Writing Essays

As the car stopped, he caressed me immediately; in synch with the stopping of the engine was the start of us. I say us because I feel like that’s what it is to become intimate with someone, you merge, mesh, mix into some form of a united being. I enjoyed him. Intimacy was an act of passion. It didn’t take love to feel passion, and it didn’t take an appropriate union to become a part of another person. We were one as he kissed me, touched me. I felt him and he felt me. One. â€Å"You like that,† he said, panting like some needy animal. Please be quiet. â€Å"Say it if you like it,† he panted some more. Shut the hell up. â€Å"Is it good?† â€Å"Quiet!† I yelled without realizing that my thoughts were vocalized. He pulled back and stared at me as if I were some whacko, needless to say the look was returned. A quick awkward expression and a not so melodious cry ended the moment. Now, the only sounds we heard other than the heavy breathing of us both was the zooming of passing vehicles. As I licked over my dry lips I recognized the taste of sweat in my mouth, kissing his neck I guessed. As he got up and scooted to ‘his side’ of the van I scratched my head noting that my hair felt like shit. Relaxed hair need not get sweaty; I felt the naps I tried so hard to conceal creeping back into the roots of my follicles. No ‘good’ hair here. His eyes were closed and I could see the moon reflecting light off of his caramel-complexioned skin. I got up and moved, naked, to the front of the van to roll down the windows; the dankness of the vehicle was enough to make me gag. â€Å"When are you going to take me home?† I asked. Without opening his eyes he shrugged his shoulders and gestured for me to shut up. â€Å"I would like to get back before my show... ...ooks, Paw-Paw was the only person in the world to ever call me beautiful. *** â€Å"You are not like me.† I said plainly. I opened my eyes to see that he was no longer listening. One thing about us, we connect during intimacy, but other than that we play tag. I want to tell him, though. Shake him and explain that his color makes me squirm. The way others of his ‘paper-bag-brown’ have talked down to me, made me question myself. Tell him that it took years to reverse the hatred that I grew for myself. I was eager, wanting to spill it all to him, make him understand. But I mellowed out. Looking at the moon on his skin I just pulled him towards me into my shadow, my dark shadow. Instead of telling him how I felt I would show him. Show him my hatred, my love, my curse, and my blessing. And in that van, in the dark of my shadow, we were both as black as we wanted to be. The Beauty of Color Essay -- Creative Writing Essays As the car stopped, he caressed me immediately; in synch with the stopping of the engine was the start of us. I say us because I feel like that’s what it is to become intimate with someone, you merge, mesh, mix into some form of a united being. I enjoyed him. Intimacy was an act of passion. It didn’t take love to feel passion, and it didn’t take an appropriate union to become a part of another person. We were one as he kissed me, touched me. I felt him and he felt me. One. â€Å"You like that,† he said, panting like some needy animal. Please be quiet. â€Å"Say it if you like it,† he panted some more. Shut the hell up. â€Å"Is it good?† â€Å"Quiet!† I yelled without realizing that my thoughts were vocalized. He pulled back and stared at me as if I were some whacko, needless to say the look was returned. A quick awkward expression and a not so melodious cry ended the moment. Now, the only sounds we heard other than the heavy breathing of us both was the zooming of passing vehicles. As I licked over my dry lips I recognized the taste of sweat in my mouth, kissing his neck I guessed. As he got up and scooted to ‘his side’ of the van I scratched my head noting that my hair felt like shit. Relaxed hair need not get sweaty; I felt the naps I tried so hard to conceal creeping back into the roots of my follicles. No ‘good’ hair here. His eyes were closed and I could see the moon reflecting light off of his caramel-complexioned skin. I got up and moved, naked, to the front of the van to roll down the windows; the dankness of the vehicle was enough to make me gag. â€Å"When are you going to take me home?† I asked. Without opening his eyes he shrugged his shoulders and gestured for me to shut up. â€Å"I would like to get back before my show... ...ooks, Paw-Paw was the only person in the world to ever call me beautiful. *** â€Å"You are not like me.† I said plainly. I opened my eyes to see that he was no longer listening. One thing about us, we connect during intimacy, but other than that we play tag. I want to tell him, though. Shake him and explain that his color makes me squirm. The way others of his ‘paper-bag-brown’ have talked down to me, made me question myself. Tell him that it took years to reverse the hatred that I grew for myself. I was eager, wanting to spill it all to him, make him understand. But I mellowed out. Looking at the moon on his skin I just pulled him towards me into my shadow, my dark shadow. Instead of telling him how I felt I would show him. Show him my hatred, my love, my curse, and my blessing. And in that van, in the dark of my shadow, we were both as black as we wanted to be.

The Story Stuff Essay -- Environment, Corporations, Consumerism

In the essays that we have been reading, there is a consist theme that has been occuring. This consist theme has been that there are people who are in power, and that their conscience has been covered by hot iron, becuase their minds are being controlled by their love for money, and that they have screwed up the way that the world works in the pursuit of money. The first assignment that we had was to watch the â€Å"Story of Stuff† and then had to talk about it. In the â€Å"Story of Stuff†, the main idea was that corporations cared about one thing and one thing only, making the most money, even if that meant destroying human lives and destroying the planet. In the next assignment, we had to read Naomi Klein’s essay â€Å"No Logo†, in which she tells us that the corporations found that they could make money without making any products, instead they made something called â€Å"brands†, which were nothing but concepts that did not require them to make the actual products. So instead they had several companies that treated their workers without any respect, but could make the products for the corporations at cheap costs. And in the essay â€Å"Iron Maiden† written by Jacobson and Mazur, the authors tell us about how the media has created an environment in which women honestly believe that only when they buy â€Å"brands† and torture their bodies to the horrors of unnecessary cosmetic surgery. And all of this is because there is a group of people, who have their morals controlled by their love of money, and that they have a race for who can own the most things and that nothing can get in their way, and all of this is shown by the essays that we have been studying. In the first assignment that we did as a class,which was watching the movie "The Story of Stuff", ... ...ke unneccary surgey that "may cause immune-system and death"(Jacobson and Mazur 214). And why is the media telling women this evil image of the "Iron Maiden", it is becuase of their love for money and the fact that their consciences have been sealed shut with a piece of hot iron, and because they have fallen for their own lie. The lie that "if you don’t own or buy a lot of stuff,you don’t exist"(Leonard 4). In conclusion, everything that we have learned this quarter has shown the truth about the current state of consumerism. That it is a state that has been created by a lie, and has grown with lies, and it is a state of existance that stomps on the human race each day with a huge iron toe boot. And I believe that this state will be changed into a perfect state of being, a state that will not view humans as expendable resources, but as living and breathing people. The Story Stuff Essay -- Environment, Corporations, Consumerism In the essays that we have been reading, there is a consist theme that has been occuring. This consist theme has been that there are people who are in power, and that their conscience has been covered by hot iron, becuase their minds are being controlled by their love for money, and that they have screwed up the way that the world works in the pursuit of money. The first assignment that we had was to watch the â€Å"Story of Stuff† and then had to talk about it. In the â€Å"Story of Stuff†, the main idea was that corporations cared about one thing and one thing only, making the most money, even if that meant destroying human lives and destroying the planet. In the next assignment, we had to read Naomi Klein’s essay â€Å"No Logo†, in which she tells us that the corporations found that they could make money without making any products, instead they made something called â€Å"brands†, which were nothing but concepts that did not require them to make the actual products. So instead they had several companies that treated their workers without any respect, but could make the products for the corporations at cheap costs. And in the essay â€Å"Iron Maiden† written by Jacobson and Mazur, the authors tell us about how the media has created an environment in which women honestly believe that only when they buy â€Å"brands† and torture their bodies to the horrors of unnecessary cosmetic surgery. And all of this is because there is a group of people, who have their morals controlled by their love of money, and that they have a race for who can own the most things and that nothing can get in their way, and all of this is shown by the essays that we have been studying. In the first assignment that we did as a class,which was watching the movie "The Story of Stuff", ... ...ke unneccary surgey that "may cause immune-system and death"(Jacobson and Mazur 214). And why is the media telling women this evil image of the "Iron Maiden", it is becuase of their love for money and the fact that their consciences have been sealed shut with a piece of hot iron, and because they have fallen for their own lie. The lie that "if you don’t own or buy a lot of stuff,you don’t exist"(Leonard 4). In conclusion, everything that we have learned this quarter has shown the truth about the current state of consumerism. That it is a state that has been created by a lie, and has grown with lies, and it is a state of existance that stomps on the human race each day with a huge iron toe boot. And I believe that this state will be changed into a perfect state of being, a state that will not view humans as expendable resources, but as living and breathing people.

The Links Between Child Abuse and Psychological, Emotional, Behavioral,

Abuse of children has become a major social problem and a main cause of many people's suffering and personal problems. Neglect, physical abuse, and sexual abuse have an immediate and long-term effects on a child's development. The long-term effects of abuse and neglect of a child can be seen in psychiatric disorders, increased rates of substance abuse, and relationship difficulties. Child abuse and neglect is a huge problem. Parents who abuse are people who have been abused and neglected themselves as children(Long Term Consequences). There are links between neglect and abuse and later psychological, emotional, behavioral, and interpersonal disorders. The basis for this linkage is the impact that abuse and neglect have on brain development. Researchers have found important links between interpersonal experiences and neurobiological development. Children who have been sexually abused are at significant risk of developing anxiety disorders (2.0 times the average), major depressive disorders (3.4 times average), alcohol abuse (2.5 times average), drug abuse (3.8 times average), and anti-social behavior (4.3 times average)(Crouch). Generally the left hemisphere of the brain is the site of language, motor activity on the right side of the body, and logical thought based on language. The right hemisphere of the brain is responsible for motor activity on the left side of the body, context perceptions, and holistic perception. The orbito-frontal cortex (the part of the brain directly behind the eyes) is responsible for integrating emotional responses generated in the limbic system with higher cognitive functions, such as planning and language, in the cerebral cortex's prefrontal lobes(Culp). The left orbito-frontal cortex is responsible for memory creation while the right orbito-frontal cortex is responsible for memory retrieval. Healthy functioning requires an integrated right and left hemisphere. A substantial number of synaptic connections among brain cells develop during the first year of life. An integrated brain requires connections between the hemispheres by the corpus callosum. Abused and neglected children have smaller corpus callosum than non-abused children. Abused and neglected children have poorly integrated cerebral hemispheres. This poor integration of hemispheres and underdevelopment of the orbitofrontal cortex is the basis for such symptoms as... ...ren. Criminal Justice and Behavior, 20(1), 49-65. Culp, R. E., Watkins, R. V., Lawrence, H., Letts, D., Kelly, D. J., & Rice, M. L. (1991). Maltreated children's language and speech development: Abused, neglected, and abused and neglected. First Language, 11(33), 377-389. Dong, M. (2004). The interrelatedness of multiple forms of childhood abuse, neglect, and household dysfunction. Child Abuse & Neglect, 28(7), 771-784. Greenfield, E. A. (2010). Child abuse as a life-course social determinant of adult health. Maturitas, 66(1), 51-55. Larkin, H. (2009). Adverse childhood experiences linked to health risk behaviors. Policy and Practice of Public Human Services, 67(3), 14-16. Sylvestre, A., & MÃ ©rette, C. (2010). Language delay in severely neglected children: A cumulative or specific effect of risk factors? Child Abuse & Neglect, 34(6), 414-428. Trickett, P. K., & McBride-Chang, C. (1995). The developmental impact of different forms of child abuse and neglect. Developmental Review 15, 311-337. Twardosz, S., & Lutzker, J. R. (2010). Child maltreatment and the developing brain: A review of neuroscience perspectives. Aggression and Violent Behavior, 15(1), 59-68.

Morrison and the Intersections of my Life Essay

When I was younger I recall the haunting yet beautiful music of the Doors, led by Jim Morrison. I would feel connected to the music that I heard, but barely took the time to pause in my effort to understand the man behind the music. It was only when I was older and I began to contemplate serious matters of life, such as death and the legacy we leave for our families if we are so lucky to grow to an old age, that I began to look into the life of this man. He was unlucky to have lived a relatively short life, his music however and the way that he playfully dismissed conventions were his most important skills that he passed down to people like me, who are interested in the genius of men like him. The more I looked into Morrison’s work, the more I saw parts of myself. I think that sometimes people look unto others to find such a spark, something that reminds us that life is short, sometimes to a tragic degree. But what we do with our lives and what we leave behind are what we must focus on from time to time to be sure that we have lived life to the fullest and expanded our minds to as far as we could, until there was just nothing left to do. Morrison still maintains his position in our lives even in his death. He remains an elusive figure, complicated and suffering in the world due to his intelligence. His high IQ was likely more of a burden to him, an alienating source of frustration when he could not find other like-minded people to share his thoughts with. It is a likely thought for the religious people in the world that he is in a place that is better for him now with the writers and philosophers that he loved to read. This is something that I so deeply understand and connect with, the feeling of wanting to connect with others but having a barrier there between myself and others. Whether it is because of intelligence, chosen discipline, ethnicity, etc†¦ I believe everyone feels disconnected with others, at times. For some, this disconnect may bring upon a search for something that makes sense, an interconnectedness with others. Some may find religion, or music, or others on the same path. For me, I found a sense of enlightenment on discovering Morrison and his journey. He seemed to embrace his disconnectedness and turn it into an art. Although Morrison did feel a sense of disconnect with those around him, there are aspects of his life that can be connected when looking at his biography. The connections made with his experiences and his behavior can be further expanded to experiences in my own life. His childhood, for example, was cold and unfulfilling. His father was a U. S. Navy Admiral, which caused their family to move frequently (Kirjasto, 2000). There was never a healthy relationship developed between him and his father. When his father was as home he had an authoritative way of parenting, which likely led Jim to later have issues with authority figures and laws. Morrison most likely played the role of an underachiever as a young man, because his parents would not allow him to make his own decisions. Therefore, he left home and hitchhiked to California to follow the career that was forbidden by his parents, filmmaking (Cristafulli, 2000). After this he was shunned from his father and begun his lifetime of freedom amongst uncertainty and mystery. By looking at the restrictions placed upon Morrison and the rift between him and his family, many young people would likely see similarities to this in their own life. I, too, felt a distance between myself and my parents and begun to question my intentions in life in terms of the reasoning for what I was doing. When I began to wonder about whether or not I was following my own path or my parents’ ideal, I began to feel a sense of restlessness stirring inside. I wanted to rebel and do less than my best just to spite them. I hated certainty and the implications of securing a certain future with a life that had been set up for me. But, I did not go to Jim’s extremes of going against my family totally, though I did move away for college. I kept everything inside until I moved, thinking that everything would be different, that I would be different. But, I saw and realized that authority is authority, regardless of if it is parents or teachers or whomever. So, freedom is different than it may seem when you are young, it is scary and lonely, because when we are free to be ourselves, we are alone. We don’t feel free collectively, it is different for everyone. Morrison tried to do his best, however, to free people from the tensions and constraints they felt in the volatile era in which he performed. When I feel lonely and understand that I am going through a fundamental change in life, to become a higher functioning person that is not constrained by my past or any other chains that might bind my mind, I think of how it might have felt to go to one of the Doors concerts. I picture people, who are deep in their own thoughts of how to climb up to a more aesthetic purpose all together and it is comforting. Though I have went to many concerts of current musicians, there is some allure and pull back to the past when life was different and people were different. From this I try to remember that it is not only a journey we all must take to understand our individual past and how we arrived to our current mode of thinking, but also we must learn about the culture of our ancestors to see how we, as people, have arrived to this time and place. Jim Morrison was completely obsessed, one might say, with his perfect ideal of freedom, just as he was occupied with thoughts of a distant past. He, like most students of life, attempted to reconcile this past with his future. Though his life was most interesting as it was tragic in the way in which he attempted to blot out his present. He told his fans and those close to him that he was trying to expand his thinking while many believe that he was using drugs and alcohol as an escape. Regardless of why he was using substances, it is important for every young adult to question their quest for knowledge, as to why one is questioning their lives and the world at large. Even if we do not use drugs, as I do not, the exhilaration of finding out elusive secrets of life may be an intoxicating experience in itself. It is so much easier to look toward other people and other topics than to look inward at yourself. Morrison lived his life this way in the extremes of life’s possibilities. He turned to a much distant and disconnected past, though he believed that there was a sense of spirituality in what he described. It is likely that Jim suppressed his more mediocre thoughts in his past to invite in other more exciting thoughts to create a persona that would be remembered far beyond his own death. He would rather talk about experiences that could not be proven by any method and explore topics that were uncomfortable for others to deal with while encompassing them in music that was comfortable to listen to. His extreme positions taken in his poems were compounded in his sometimes irrational and incomprehensible behavior. These extremes were staggering in there visibility to others and Morrison seemed to revel in the controversy that he created. It was quite possible that he thrived on the attention while he also wanted for peace and calm. These two vying states of being along with his unresolved tensions in his past and future led to an explosive life. This makes me think of the importance of balance between the extremes of life to achieve understanding and happiness, but also to have a freedom to explore the extreme nature of our lives. I believe that people like Jim Morrison are necessary to understand, as it would be unhealthy in many ways to live his type of lifestyle. While many of us seek to achieve a limitless understanding of ourselves and our world, we must constantly evaluate and reevaluate our lives with the limits that we find along the way. We are, for example, slaves to our own limits of intelligence, we can only know so much. Jim had a high IQ, stated to be 149 (Kirjasto, 2000). He seemed to possess a wide understanding in what he read in books and studied in college, but he concentrated much of his life to pursuits that could not be studied, proven, or disproved. Many would say this was a waste of time. But, can we really understand how such an intelligent person could live in a world were things seemed so simple to them but not to us? What one person may think is rational and simple another person may see as irrational and difficult. In this way, we are stuck to the limits of what we can prove about our existence and what we can agree upon with others. What may seem to one person as disagreeable in another, may simply be a person using their intelligence in ways which we cannot understand. It may be a universal truth, then that what we can all agree on is that we will disagree. To see someone like Morrison, who constantly clashed with authority and fought the conventions of society, reminds us that we must agree that we will not always see things the same way as others. If we can grasp this concept fully in another person’s life, we can surely grasp it in our own. We can value others for their struggle to be who they are and to stand for something. We can appreciate conformity through seeing nonconformity and we can appreciate silence by listening to music. Sometimes we can learn more about things from looking at the extremes and opposites of what we have and what we do not have. For Jim life was a constant struggle to reconcile living with dying. His poems and songs are wrought with themes of death and destruction of madness and sanity. It may be stated that he wished to appreciate his life more by understanding death and he wished to appreciate his mind and his intelligence by studying themes of insanity and inducing drug and alcoholic states of numbness. There is a lesson to life in this behavior, as well. It is like the phrase that many of our elders like to teach to us, that we want what we do not or cannot have. This is especially important to college students, as many of us are confused in what to study and what to be once we are graduated. It is this fear that prevents all success in life. We are afraid that if we chose a career path that we might want to change our minds, so we tend to make hasty decisions just to get to over with, so to speak. The rumination over choices that present themselves as black and white, right or wrong type of thinking can hinder our growth. There is that gray area in between all things that we must explore. Though we do limit ourselves and become somewhat constrained once we do make a choice, the discovery of what we decide to do is an amazing journey and we must appreciate that. The journey of an entire life, the biography of another, interesting person is something that is important for all of us to look at. When we become mired in our thinking, unable to be creative or objective, we can take a step back and see how another person survived their struggle and then how they died from it or in spite of it. In this case, Morrison decided that he would taunt and tease his worst fears and he died from the excesses of this struggle. Morrison explained, â€Å"expose yourself to your deepest fear, after that fear has no power and the fear of freedom shrinks and vanishes† (Crisafulli, 2000). I believe that if we understand our fears then, indeed, we can overcome them. But if we constantly expose ourselves to our fears and the negative thoughts that arise from combating the deepest and darkest corners of the imagination then we are inviting chaos into our lives. Though Jim seemed to be a master of harnessing his inner chaos into his art, we must all of us, understand that we have limits on what we can make out of our turmoil. If we are seeking a simple understanding and a sense of finality to our fears and not making art with our deep imaginations, then we must be careful to not live to hard to fast and to wait patiently for understanding to emerge in our lives. I believe that for some, patience is a near to impossible state of being. We may feel that we have to rush our lives to complete everything there is to do and that there are not enough hours in the day. We may miss true beauty and opportunity if we think this way. Jim lived a hard and fast life, though he paused to make beautiful music and poetry. It may be, though, for the conflicted artist, that he had no choice but to create his work. Many interesting people feel this way, that they have no choice in there lives and that they were born to do certain things in their lives. Some are luckier than others to be enlightened to their life’s purpose early on. Others, like myself, must wait patiently for that moment of understanding and the sense of serenity and purpose that comes with our life’s work being laid out in front of us. I think that many people are rushed to get to that moment of knowing what to do with our lives and we may be so eager that we miss the moment. There is also another distinct possibility for all of us, who are patiently or not so patiently waiting for our purpose to present itself. This may be as it may have been for Jim, that our purpose in life is to deal with the extreme nature of the human condition. This is a certain fear for me, as I know it is for others. We may have to go down a path of misery. What then? Will we manage to do this in a way of sobriety? There are so many questions and the more we know about others and our world, the more we question ourselves. We may feel ready to tackle our own selves and our own fears, but what if we fear ourselves and our ability to carry out the plans that the most confusing universe has set out in front of us? I believe that Jim Morrison was made more confused in his life by the more he learned and that we must not be afraid of the questions. I think that even more, we must not be afraid of the answers. What we must do is realize that there will come a time before our own deaths to relax and that is when we are satisfied that we did ask all the right questions and that we did our due diligence to find all the answers. I must close by saying that reviewing the life of Jim Morrison has been interesting and personally fulfilling. Any intelligent and creative person’s life is useful to explore, especially a life that is cut short by an untimely death. What we could have become in our own lives is magnified by what others could have been if they had lives to see it. In this way, it is essential to live life to the fullest and act as if we are constantly writing our own biography. We must be careful in what we do and we must be patient, but we cannot be so careful as to miss out on the joy of pushing the limits of our own lives and of our surroundings. We must all trust ourselves enough to do this and we will be most surprised once we do and we begin to trust and respect all those that came before us and all those that will pass behind us in our lives. Works Cited C Cristafulli, The Doors When The Music’s Over: The Stories Behind Every Song, 2000, New York, NY: Thunder’s Mouth. Kirijasto, â€Å"James Douglas ’Jim’ Morrison†, 2000, Accessible Online http://kirjasto. sci. fi/morrison. htm, last accessed 2 March, 2009.