Acute Abdominal Pain Essays

Acute Abdominal Pain Essays Acute Abdominal Pain Essay Acute Abdominal Pain Essay Assessment of the patient with acute abdominal pain Karen DeLawder Chamberlain College of Nursing NR305: Health Assessment Spring 2011 Assessment of the patient with acute abdominal pain Introduction Assessment of the patient with acute abdominal pain is an article published in the Nursing Standard Journal in the June 2006 issue, written by Elaine Cole, Antonia Lynch, and Helen Cugnoni. This article gives an in depth look at common diagnosis associated with abdominal pain. With each diagnosis the article gives common statistics such as occurrence, need for urgent treatment or emergent surgery. It provides a detailed list of signs and symptoms for each diagnosis as well as what test or procedure that needs to be performed to diagnose each. The article provides very useful information on the nursing care that patients with abdominal pain may require. Summary of Article It is very hard to determine the cause of abdominal pain because of the multiplicity of signs and symptoms and all people describe pain differently. It is very important to take a good medical history as this can provide 70 per cent or more of the clues that may lead to the diagnosis. A nurse must familiarize themselves with the anatomy of abdomen. The organs located in the abdomen are: the stomach, spleen, liver, gall bladder, pancreas, kidneys, small intestine and large intestine. The organs in the pelvis are: the bladder, caecum, appendix, sigmoid colon, rectum and female reproductive organs. (Cole, Lynch, Cugnoni, 2006). It is very important for the nurse to also learn the location of each organ, as this will help pin point what actually may be causing the abdominal pain. The right lobe of the liver, duodenum, head of pancreas, gall bladder, and sections of the ascending and transverse colon are located in the right upper quadrant of the abdomen. The left lobe of the liver, spleen, body of pancreas, stomach and sections of the descending and transverse colon, are located in the left upper quadrant of the abdomen. The caecum, appendix and a section of the ascending colon are located in the left lower quadrant to the abdomen. The sigmoid colon and section of the descending colon are located in the left lower quadrant of the abdomen. Cole, Lynch, Cugnoni, 2006). â€Å"Acute surgical emergencies constitute about 50 percent of all general surgical admission. About half of these are for abdominal symptoms, predominantly pain, and half of this group resolve without operation. The rest undergo emergency surgery or a scheduled procedure during the same admission. † Birkitt and Quick 2002. (As cited in Cole, Lynch, Cugnoni, 2006, p. 68). Appendicitis i s the most common cause for emergency surgery. Some other common causes of abdominal pain are biliary colic, cholecystitis, gastrointestinal disease, ectopic pregnancies, pelvic inflammatory disease, hepatitis, abdominal aortic aneurysm, pancreatitis, peritonitis, urinary tract infection or pyelonephritis, which is when the infection in the urinary tract has reached the kidneys. Of course there many, many more disease processes that can cause abdominal pain, but these are the ones that are seen most often. (Cole, Lynch, Cugnoni, 2006). â€Å"A systematic approach to assessment should be used so that vital information is not overlooked. Questions should be asked about: pain, associated symptoms, past medical and medication history and social and family history. † (Cole, Lynch, Cugnoni, 2006, pg. 71). The nurse must ask the patient to point to the area where they are having the pain. They should determine when the pain started, if it is constant, if it is sharp, stabbing pain, dull ache, radiating or burning sensation. They should ask if there is anything in particular that causes the symptoms to worsen or better, such as position changes, certain foods or hot or cold liquids. It should also be determined whether or not the patient has had any changes in appetite or weight loss without dieting, as these symptoms can be caused by abdominal malignancies. (Cole, Lynch, Cugnoni, 2006). The physical assessment would include vital signs. Increased temperature, heart rate, respiratory rate and blood pressure can be indicative of serious conditions such as: infection, hypovalemic shock, septicemia, or dehydration . Patients with increased blood pressure and pulse must have an electrocardiogram to rule out cardiac causes for abdominal pain. Other important test would be blood glucose measurement as high readings in a patient that is not diabetic can indicate pancreatitis, also blood test will be ordered to help in obtaining a diagnoses. Most patients that present with sever abdominal pain will be kept nothing by mouth, in case they need surgery and will require Intravenous fluids, pain medications and anti-emetics. (Cole, Lynch, Cugnoni, 2006). Evaluation of Article This is an excellent article for nurses it provides excellent information for nurses to utilize immediately to sharpen their assessment of patients with acute abdominal pain. With the information provided in this article, the nurse will be able to determine whether or not the patient is suffering from acute or chronic abdominal pain. This article gives detailed information on where to locate all the in the abdominal cavity and within the pelvis, it also details which organ is found in each quadrant of the abdomen. This article gives us list of the most common causes of abdominal pain. The article gives just enough information on each of these causes without overwhelming the nurse. The approach to this article is simplistic and this writer found it enlightening and very easily understood. This article would be an excellent resource for any nurse in any setting that practices patient care, since this topic is one of the most common causes for trips to the emergency room. (Cole, Lynch, Cugnoni, 2006). After reading this article this writer has developed useful knowledge that will help in completing a thorough exam and one that may determine whether the patient requires emergent care. The article also gives detailed information on how to differentiate between the diagnoses which can also help in the process of triaging the patient in the emergency room. The journal author goes on to describe the different types of fluids and why one type of fluids may be the better choice for the patient depending on their symptoms. For example; a patient with acute abdominal would need crystalloid type fluids such as 0. 9% sodium chloride which is usually first choice of doctors. Patients suffering from hypovalemic or septic shock would need colloids which will help increase the patient’s blood pressure. Cole, Lynch, Cugnoni, 2006). The author also explains the importance of administering analgesics to the patient’s suffering with acute abdominal pain and the perception that nurses that if they administer analgesia before the diagnoses is obtained can some how interfere with that process. The author states that this thought process has been unfounded. And diagnoses accuracy was no different between patients who had analgesia and those who did not. (Cole, Lynch, Cugnoni, 2006). Conclusion This article provides practical information for use by nurses in emergency room settings. It gives very detailed information on the location of every organ in the abdomen and pelvic region so the nurse can establish possible diagnoses. This article would be very useful to any level of nurses, new graduates to the experienced nurse. I found this article to be a very useful tool in helping nurses fine tune their assessment skills with the patient suffering from acute or chronic abdominal pain. References Cole, E. , Lynch, A. , Cugnoni, H. , (2006). Assessment of the patient with acute abdominal pain, 20(39), p. 67-75.

Free sample - Problems That Employees And Employers Face And Possible Solutions. translation missing

Problems That Employees And Employers Face And Possible Solutions. Problems That Employees And Employers Face And Possible SolutionsSleep is a process controlled by biological signals in the body. The amount of natural light in the environment triggers the body when to feel sleepy and when to wake up. This is called the ‘sleep cycle’. Consequently, those who stay awake during the evening and go to sleep during daytime will have a disrupted sleep cycle. This can lead to lack of sleep. (searchCRM.com) This disrupted sleep cycle is a dilemma that many employees who work during graveyard shift (a.ka. third shift, night shift) face. The job finding website www.careerjet.com lists some companies in the United States that offer third shift schedules. These   include Marriott International in Parsippany, NJ,   Pepsi Co., Silgan Companies in Langhorne, PA, Panera Bread in Maple Grove, MN, and GE Energy in Greenville, SC. However, lack of sleep is causing the performance quality of graveyard shift employees to drop. The Encyclopedia Britannica online stated that â€Å"Adults typically sleep between six and nine hours per night†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Any less than six hours of sleeping time can lead to poor health as well as social and behavioral problems. The August 1989 issue of Awake! Magazine mentioned: â€Å"NIGHT-SHIFT workers have been found to experience more gastric problems, ulcers, alcoholism, and divorce than do their peers who work days.† (20) In order for employers to maintain the quality of performance among its employees, an online article titled Guide to Managing Night-Shift Workers authored by Judy Artunian and published in www.business.com suggested the action steps â€Å"1) Consult a night-shift management expert, 2) Schedule with care, 3) Make it convenient to connect (communicate), 3) Ask for feedback (from employees), 4) Evaluate employee performance, and 5) Celebrate milestones (encouragement activities).†Ã‚   In the case of health problems, Awake! Magazine suggested that graveyard shift employees should â€Å"sleep during the same time period each day, preferably during the late morning and early afternoon. (20)†. The article also stressed out the importance having good diet and avoiding alcoholic drinks. Nighttime work is already damaging enough to the health so graveyard shift employees should compensate by keeping the rest of their activities healthy.    Literature Reference: Awake! Magazine. 22 August 1989 Issue. Published by Watchtower Org. Page 20.

FDI (Foreign Direct Investments) determinants in Greece and the impact Dissertation

FDI (Foreign Direct Investments) determinants in Greece and the impact of thr single European currency on the attraction of FDI - Dissertation Example The typical factors that bring FDIs in Greece mostly influence the capital productivity, decisions of foreign investors, and the labour costs on the sectoral level. In the conclusion, the paper provides significant policy implications. Table of Contents Table of Contents 2 1. Introduction 3 2. Literature Review 6 3. Locational Determinants of FDI INWARDS in Greece 10 4. Description of variables and hypotheses 15 6. CONCLUSIONS AND POLICY IMPLICATIONS 26 References 29 1. Introduction FDI is considered as the most important economic force in the world. The proportion of FDI in services sector is rapidly attaining great importance (United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, 2004). Special attributes making the treatment of FDI unique in the service sector include the coherence between the products’ production and consumption, the urgent requirement for local adaptation and the significant impact of quality (Boddewyn et al., 1986; Dunning, 1989). The services play a cruci al role in the entire process of production. For instance, the presence of the framework (Ramamurti and Doh, 2004) or financial services are regarded as the economy’s backbone. However, the small share of the services in the world’s exports, which is only 20 percent (IMF, 2003) highlights their non-tradable nature. Due to this specific attribute and in order to remove the trading restrictions, several businesses decide to support the domestic market with the FDIs. In services, the FDI inward stock of the world has increased from USD 950 billion to more than USD 4 trillion whilst the previous decade. At present, the FDI inward stocks in services account to over 60 percent of the total inward FDI stocks around the globe. Thus, in order to support their group internationally, numerous Multi-National Enterprises (MNEs) opt to invest in trading, marketing and financial intermediation associates. This shift of FDI flows to services is explained through the case of Greece in this study since Greece has been conventionally receiving FDI from the early 1950s. Most of the FDI flows were directed towards the sectors of basic metals, chemicals and transportation during the decade of 1963 to 1973 which extensively supported the revival and enhancement of the industrial base of the country. However, after the induction of Greece to European Union (EU), a smooth change occurred in the structure of FDI in the early 1980s. On the other hand, during the 1980s and 1990s, the FDI flows were targeted towards the industries of food, textiles, beverages and consumer electronics. The governments of Greece during that period took significant measures to lead the Greece towards rapid and sustainable development through enhancing the competitive advantages of its economy as it converged with the core countries of EU. These measures were further reinforced through targeted EU policies that specifically included Community Structural Funds and Cohesion Funds. The major part o f this support was inclined towards the development of infrastructure where as just a small portion of it was dedicated to education, training and capital (Paliginis, 2001). Presently, the objective of the policies at Greece is to encourage and attract FDI. Most of the industries in Greece are open to international investors, with the telecommunications sector being de-regularized as well as the energy industry being

Assessment one Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Assessment one - Essay Example A similar holding was made in Harris 3 where the plaintiff lost his claims for loss of time and expense despite withdrawal of the advertised furniture from sale. An exception is the Carlill case 4 where an advertisement sufficiently constituted an offer to sell because it was a unilateral offer to sell to the world, which can be accepted by satisfying the condition required. Also, purchase of the product was enough consideration and the intent to be legally bound was proven by the deposit of  £1000 to the Bank. Thus, Chantelle’s advertisement is just an invitation to treat. Moreover, the exchange between Ben and Chantelle over the telephone lacks certainty and merely involves a request for information similar to Stevenson v McLean 5 where it a request for information was held not a counteroffer. Ben’s offer is only constituted the moment he wrote to Chantelle but such an offer is subject to acceptance, which did not happen. Felthouse v Bindley 6 held that acceptance must be communicated to the offeror. The lack of valid acceptance here militates against the forming of a valid

Understanding Society - Classical Liberalism Essay Example for Free

Understanding Society Classical Liberalism Essay The individualism that Durkheim sees and defends as the ethic of our time is an ethic not just of the individual hut of the individual as man. This is an absolutely fundamental point, and not as obvious and straightforward as, at first sight, it might seem. It involves a dualism, in which an ideal of individuality is part of the ideal of humanity (Miller, 1996 96). The dualism’s Durkheimian explanation concerns the development of the division of labor, such that there are increasingly only two fundamental identities we can have, the identity of the distinct â€Å"individual† and the identity in common of â€Å"man† (Hamilton, 1995 136). However, it also concerns the development of modern society such that it demands a Universalist ethic of â€Å"the person†. This means, amongst other things, insistence on every individual’s same basic moral status and rights to respect and regard. Indeed, an ethic of the person is the only way to extend this status to every individual, and to oppose reactionary individualisms that withhold it. The modern individualist ideal is and has to be, for Durkheim, humanist and republican, its aspirations find expression in 1789’s â€Å"liberty, equality, fraternity† (Miller, 1996 97). â€Å"Liberalism is neither a vague Zeitgeist nor the outlook of modern man, but clearly identifiable set of principles and institutional choices endorsed by specific politicians, publicists, and popular movements. The early history of liberalism cannot be detached from the political history, in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, of England and Scotland, the Netherlands, the United States, and France† (Berkowitz, 1999 256). As for the main character of the discussion, liberalism for Durkheim remains part of the egoistic nature of man towards his environment. Discussion Durkheim published a response entitled, Individualism and the Intellectuals, wherein he discussed â€Å"the argument, always refuted and always renewed,† that â€Å"Intellectual and moral anarchy would be the inevitable result of liberalism. † Some varieties of liberalism, Durkheim conceded, are egoistic and threaten the common good of societies by encouraging the individual to become excessively preoccupied with self-interest. However, there is a strand of liberalism, Durkheim argued, that is moral and social. This form Durkheim called â€Å"moral Individualism† and he claimed that â€Å"not only is moral individualism not anarchical, but it henceforth is the only system of beliefs that can ensure the moral unity of the country. † In industrial, democratic nations such as France, moral virtue and unity are promoted by the liberal practices and ideals of moral individualism. France’s modern moral traditions are largely constituted by liberal institutions and values (Hamilton, 1995 124). Durkheim asserted chat â€Å"all communal life is impossible without the existence of interests superior to those of the individual. † From the outset of his career, Durkheim insisted that in modern Industrial society’s happiness and freedom are achieved in the context of moral beliefs and practice, embedded in vital traditions and institutions. Durkheim sees in the modern ideal â€Å"all the values to which he adheres most: equality, liberty, justice, fraternity†. Moreover, it is important to emphasize, he sees them as coming together in an inseparable package. It will not do to insist on a definition of freedom that in effect writes off other modern ideals, and that camouflages, behind a lot of philosophical talk, a recipe for a minimalist police state and an anemic and oppressive class-divided society (Berkowitz, 1999 257). It is a recipe for such things if only because the other ideals, which the libertarian state has to trample on, will not go away but are part of the modern world (Miller, 1996 97). Similarly, it will not do to insist on conceptions of equality and community that in effect write off freedom, in a recipe for a â€Å"despotic socialism†. Durkheim’s project is a commitment to a continuing, developing search to work and rework the human ideal’s different aspirations, which, whatever the tensions between them, must combine into a whole. It is bound to be a dispute-filled search, if only because of the nature of the human ideal, with its commitment to individualism and free thought, but also, in Durkheim’s account, because of the nature of modern individuality itself. However, his appeal to the division of labor as a basic source of our individuality can at the same time obscure the point about individuality itself as a source of differences and disputes (Miller, 1996 98). Critics of liberalism tend to be the more aggressive, eager to portray Hobbes as a paradigmatic liberal theorist whose geometric method, materialist metaphysics, mechanistic psychology, and atomistic vision of society exemplify the poverty of the liberal spirit (Tucker, 2001 68). Meanwhile, when confronted with the image of Hobbes as one of their own, liberals often react sharply; pointing to Hobbes’s theory of indivisible and inseparable sovereign power and insistence on state supervision of university curriculum and church teaching, they emphatically declare that Hobbes cannot be understood to be a liberal in any meaningful sense (Hamilton, 1995 138). As often happens when passions flare and partisans draw sharp lines in the sand, the truth in its complexity and fine-grained texture becomes the first casualty, in the debate over Hobbes’s relation to liberalism, each side errs not so much in what it points to as in what it fails to acknowledge in Hobbes’s political theory (Berkowitz, 1999 257). In their efforts to present Hobbes as liberalism’s torchbearer, liberalism’s critics abstract from the fact that Hobbes’s political science does little to insure the protection of traditional liberal freedoms and rejects the need, made thematic by the liberal tradition, to limit government power through careful institutional design (Pickering 2001 196). At the same time, liberals who wish to deny any relation whatsoever to Hobbes overlook the fact that Hobbes’s doctrine of absolute sovereignty is explicitly established for the limited purpose of securing and maintaining peace, while subjects’ obligation to obey the civil law is limited, according to Hobbes’s theory, by the natural and inalienable right to self-preservation (Hamilton, 1995 139). Hobbes argued that human beings are fundamentally equal and endowed with certain natural and in-alienable rights, defended the idea of a state based on the rule of law: maintained a basic distinction between the public and the private; envisaged a sovereign who respected personal freedom by permitting his subjects the liberty of commerce and contract, as well as the choice of profession, where to live, and how to raise their children: held that a primary task of a good government was to secure a rudimentary welfare for all citizens; affirmed that civil laws govern actions, not inner faith or conscience, insisted on the utility of toleration (Berkowitz, 1999 258). Adam Smith, on the other hand, introduced two forms of liberalism, specifically economic liberalism and social liberalism. Economic liberalism is primarily about efficiency, whereas social liberalism is primarily about freedom. In modern politics, they often appeal to quite different people (McLean, 2006 314). Economic liber als are often social conservatives, and vise versa. People who believe that the state should get out of the market often believe strongly that the state should police morals (Hamilton, 1995 141). The individualization of altruism thus connects with all the emphasis on how we each become an â€Å"autonomous source of action† and a centre of thought in which â€Å"the very materials of consciousness have a personal character† (McLean, 2006 315). It increasingly involves, around this â€Å"common faith†, ways of thinking and feeling that are â€Å"very general and indefinite† and that let in â€Å"a growing multitude of individual disagreements (McLean, 2006 323). Dissidences, even if including the differences of organic cohesion, must also refer to the conflicts involved in pluralism, factionalism and the freedom in which we each have our own â€Å"opinions, beliefs, aspirations† (Miller, 1996 99). Moral individualism, wrote Durkheim, is â€Å"the individualism of Kant, Rousseau, of the spiritualities — the one that the Declaration of the Rights of Man attempted, more or less happily, to formulate and that is currently taught in our schools and has become the basis of our moral character (Pickering 2001 194). This type of individualism is â€Å"profoundly different† from the egoistic type. Far from making personal interest the object of conduct, this one sees in all personal motives the very source of evil (Tucker, 2001 68). According to Kant, the individual is only certain of acting properly if the motives that influence the person relate, not to the particular circumstance in which the person is placed, but to the equality as a man in abstract (Holmes, 1995 89). On the other hand, Rousseau’s concept of the general will is an authentic expression of justice insofar as it is constituted not by personal interest, but by public goods and concerns (McLean, 2006 326). Durkheim concluded, thus, for both these men, the only moral ways of acting are those that can be applied to all men indiscriminately, which are implied in the notion of man in general duty consists in disregarding all that concerns us personally in order to seek out fellowmen (Pickering 2001 195). It is perhaps more accurate to say that Durkheim’s moral individualism invented this tradition as much as It belongs to it (Holmes, 1995 86). Durkheim attempted to piece together his own â€Å"communitarian† account of his favorite varieties of liberalism (Hamilton, 1995 142). A set of liberal, democratic traditions already existed; however, Durkheim was well aware of competing communitarian traditions, such as those of the Royalists and the conservative Roman Catholics, as well as of competing liberal traditions, such as those of the classical economists and utilitarians (McLean, 2006 320). Durkheim attempted to show that in the vocabulary of moral individualism there is no fundamental opposition between individual rights and the common good. He first advanced what he considered to be the necessary communal, social Interpretation of the Kantian autonomous Individual (Pickering 2001 193). Conclusion Egoism is equated with individualism wherein Durkheim defines it in terms of â€Å"sentiments and representations which are exclusively personal†, and indeed just talks of it as â€Å"individuality†. This does not sound as if it can just be a matter of organic diversity, of differences that are complementary and cohesive rather than conflicting nor is it. The crucial passage comes earlier on, when Durkheim discusses the nature of the modern conscience collective and of the human ideal at its core. From the perspectives of other liberal philosophers of Adam Smith, liberalism is in the aspects of economic and social strengths wherein the society and industry are in continuous interplays of identities; Hobbes emphasized the universal right to personally convene a decision as the basic form of individuality. Rousseau and Kant exemplified liberalism in the form of rights of man to achieve utmost happiness as the form of individuality. Bibliography Berkowitz, P. (1999). Virtue and the Making of Modern Liberalism. Princeton University Press. Hamilton, P. (1995). Emile Durkheim: Critical Assessments. Routledge. Holmes, S. H. (1995). Passions and Constraint: On the Theory of Liberal Democracy. University of Chicago Press. McLean, L. (2006). Adam Smith, Radical and Egalitarian: Radical and Egalitarian. Edinburgh University Press. MIller, W. W. (1996). Durkheim, Morals and Modernity. McGill-Queens Press. Pickering, W. F. (2001). Emile Durkheim: Critical Assessments of Leading Sociologists. Routledge. Tucker, K. H. (2001). Classical Social Theory: A Contemporary Approach. Blackwell Publishing.

Gradient Function :: Papers

Gradient Function For this investigation, I have to find the relationship between a point of any non-linear graph and the gradient of the tangent, which is the gradient function. First of all, I have to define the word, 'Gradient'. Gradient means the slope of a line or a tangent at any point on a curve. A tangent is basically a line, curve, or surface that touches another curve but does not cross or intersect it. To find a gradient, observe the graph below: [IMAGE][IMAGE] All you have to do to find the gradient is to divide the change in X with the change in Y. In this case, on the graph above, AB and you would have gotten the BC gradient for that particular point of the graph. I am going start by finding the gradient function of y=x ², y=2x ², and then y=ax ². I will move on finding the gradient function of y=x ³, y=2x ³, and finally y=ax ³. I will then find the similarities and generalise y=axà ¢Ã‚ ¿ where 'a' and 'n' are constants, and then investigate the Gradient function for any curves of my choice. I will first find the gradient of tangents on the graph y=x ² by drawing the graph (page 3), and then find the gradient for a number of selected points on the graph: Point X Change in Y Change in X Gradient a -3 6 -1 -6 b -2 4 -1 -4 c -1 2 -1 -2 d 1 2 1 2 e 2 4 1 4 f 3 6 1 6 As you can see, the gradient is always twice the value of its original X value Where y=x ². So the gradient function has to be f `(x)=2x for

Life of Pi

In the novel, â€Å"Life of Pi† the author Yann Martel tells a story within a story about Piscine Molitor who is also known as Pi. He is the protagonist and the dynamic character of story. In the chapters that confine the main story Pi is a timid middle-aged man and is deeply spiritual after learning the teachings of Hinduism, Catholicism, and Islam. He tells us about his childhood growing up in India as a son of a zoo keeper. He’s a vegetarian and he expresses his love for animals. Pi is a student of religion, zoology and is deeply interested by the characteristics of people and animals. Yet there is another side to Pi, and there is a constant switch between his thoughts and actions. Pi has learned about animal nature and its violent capabilities but it is not until he is faced with these circumstances. Not long after the ship sinks Pi and a tiger named Richard Parker are the only ones left on the lifeboat. Pi fears Richard Parker in some way but when he learns that his chances of survival are becoming very slim he uses his fear as a key to survival. Pi temporarily forgets all his other problems and manages through several courses to dominate Richard Parker. Pi The author uses indirect characterization to show how an awful position can bring out the worst in a man, and unexpected help in the most effective of animals. Pi becomes very quick and aggressive when it comes to finding and consuming food. I just didn’t have the time to consider what was before me. It either went into my mouth that instant or was lost to Richard Parker, who was pawing and stamping the ground and huffing impatiently on the edge of his territory. It came as unmistakable indication to me of how low I had sunk the day I had noticed, with a pinching of the heart, which I ate like an animal, that this noisy, frantic, unchewing wolfing-down of mine was exactly the way Richard Parker ate. † This compares t he close similarities between a man and an animal. Life of Pi The novel itself is inclined with philosophy and how different kinds of religion affected the life of Piscine Molitor Patel (Pi), the narrator of the story. It started when Pi was in a ship with his family when a mysterious incident led the ship to sink in the ocean, leaving only Pi the human who survived the incident. Along with him are the different animals whom he had discourse and interaction with in the lifeboat. Things started to went somehow out of control when the hyena ate some fellow animals. Long after, the tiger itself fed on the hyena but managed not to attack Pi. The two, Pi and the tiger whose name in the story is Richard Parker, continued to survive together and managed to keep each other’s company. After a long time, they found an island with a strange algae-dominated form. Soon they discovered that the algae were deforming themselves into acids at night and there’s this strange fruit that has a human-like teeth in it. Pi concluded that the island is an organism that eats humans. With these view of things, Pi and Richard Parker left the strange island and arrived in Mexico. There they departed from each other after keeping each other’s company for 227 days. Pi went to the hospital and he was confined there. Two Japanese officials named Okamoto and Chiba visited him and interrogated him how the ship sank. He told them the stories about the animals and his stay with the tiger, Richard Parker. However, the two officials did not believe him. Then he told another story where he was in a ship with his mother, a cook and a Chinese sailor. This story was a disgusting one where the cook is someone who is barbaric in actions. Pi let the two Japanese officials choose whichever version of story they want and the latter chose the one with animals which they wrote a story with. Pi was engaged in the three major religions in the world namely Christianity, Hinduism, and Islam where his life was patterned. He clearly portrays a character who did not believe in religion as a whole but in conviction in one sense. Belief as a human necessity could be seen through Pi’s character where Pi is a representative of human divinity.[1] His life, as well as his activities, is associated with god/s. For him, everything is related to god/s. Or may I say that everything can be related to god/s. His personality here can be viewed as an attachment to a belief which creates a form of survival. This can be compared to what Emile Durkheim said in his research that those who are in a strong attachment, say Christianity, had a lesser probability of committing a suicide than those who are more individualistic. Moreover, a strong hold to a belief can lengthen one’s life because there is a definite belief that serves as a guide for a person throughout his/her life. On the other hand, Richard Parker was also able to sustain the coexistence between them (with Pi) by his animal instincts. Example for this is the search and hunt for food, which is one of the physiological needs of human in order to survive and to perform everyday life functions. With this is a concept of the survival of the fittest portrayed by the hyena and tiger where they ate their fellow animals in order to survive. The weakest being can not handle to live longer while the stronger ones are those that have the capacity to hunt and kill for their own benefit in order to live. Another manifestation of this survival is when Pi and Richard Parker was the only one who was alive and they managed to live longer in the strange island and to go to Mexico where their lives were more secured. Life of Pi was a unique combination of social reality and religion. According to the author Martel, it doesn’t matter which was believed the truth but that belief should be present. Truth is only a matter of understanding. What really exist are evidences of a history, whether it was true or not. It was we who give the definition of what the social construction of reality means. And what people believed to be the truth is a matter of collective approval. Approval of those in the dominate classes. In the novel, stories were given. How can one say which story is true and which one is not? Martel says that ‘the facts do not always constitute the importance in the experience’.[2] Thus, one can say that unreliable facts which are given to us. We are the ones who will decide what is true and what is not. â€Å"Life’s story is one’s own, and faith trumps factuality.† What really matters for the truth to exist is the belief of people on it. Without the belief, a truth can not be truth. Works Cited Martel, Yann. Life of Pi. Canada: Knopf Canada, 2001. [1] http://en.wikipedia.org [2] Ibid. Life of Pi Name- Htet Hlaing Hmee ( 1207C20609 ) Period- 1 Life of Pi Novel Proposal Theme- The Nature of Suffering Argument A Point 1- Pi can't imagine a God who suffers Quotation- â€Å"This son, on the other hand, who goes hungry, who suffers from thirst, who gets tired, who is sad, who is anxious, who is heckled and harassed† ( 91 ) Point 2 – Pi stops when he's working out the immediate detail of survival. Quotation – â€Å"I was either fixed on practical details of immediate survival or transfixed by pain, weeping silently, my mouth open and my hands at my head. † (169) Point 3- The worst night of his lifeQuotation- â€Å"It is pointless to say that this or that night was the worst of my life. I have so many bad nights to choose from that I've made none the champion. Still, that second night at sea stands in my memory as one of exceptional suffering† ( 188 ) Argument B Point 1- Suffering grief becomes carnivorous Quotation- â€Å"They were dead; I could no longer deny it. What a thing to acknowledge in your heart! To lose a brother is to lose someone with whom you can share the experience of growing old, who is supposed to bring you a sister-in-law and nieces and nephews, creatures to people the tree of your life and give it new branches. ( 194 ) Point 2 – Orange Juice's suffering to proportions Quotation- â€Å"She was beheaded. The neck wound was still bleeding. It was a horrible sight to the eyes and killing to the spirit. † ( 201 ) Point 3- Realizes his suffering is taking place in the middle of an ocean Quotation- â€Å"I saw my suffering for what it was, finite and insignificant, and I was still. My suffering did not fit anywhere, I realized. And I could accept this† (269) Argument C Point 1- No escape for poor Pi.Quotation- â€Å"Salt-water boils – red, angry, disfiguring – were a leprosy of the high seas, transmitted by the water that soaked me† ( 389 ) Point 2- Pi's suffering drive s him Quotation- â€Å"I ate some of his flesh. I mean small pieces, little strips that I meant for the gaff's hook that, when dried by the sun, looked like ordinary animal flesh† ( 386 ) Point 3- Pi turns to God at one of the points of his Pacific crossing Quotation- â€Å"The lower you are, the higher your mind will want to soar. It was natural that, bereft as I was, in the throes of unremitting suffering, I should turn to God. † ( 428 ) Life of Pi In the novel, â€Å"Life of Pi† the author Yann Martel tells a story within a story about Piscine Molitor who is also known as Pi. He is the protagonist and the dynamic character of story. In the chapters that confine the main story Pi is a timid middle-aged man and is deeply spiritual after learning the teachings of Hinduism, Catholicism, and Islam. He tells us about his childhood growing up in India as a son of a zoo keeper. He’s a vegetarian and he expresses his love for animals. Pi is a student of religion, zoology and is deeply interested by the characteristics of people and animals. Yet there is another side to Pi, and there is a constant switch between his thoughts and actions. Pi has learned about animal nature and its violent capabilities but it is not until he is faced with these circumstances. Not long after the ship sinks Pi and a tiger named Richard Parker are the only ones left on the lifeboat. Pi fears Richard Parker in some way but when he learns that his chances of survival are becoming very slim he uses his fear as a key to survival. Pi temporarily forgets all his other problems and manages through several courses to dominate Richard Parker. Pi The author uses indirect characterization to show how an awful position can bring out the worst in a man, and unexpected help in the most effective of animals. Pi becomes very quick and aggressive when it comes to finding and consuming food. I just didn’t have the time to consider what was before me. It either went into my mouth that instant or was lost to Richard Parker, who was pawing and stamping the ground and huffing impatiently on the edge of his territory. It came as unmistakable indication to me of how low I had sunk the day I had noticed, with a pinching of the heart, which I ate like an animal, that this noisy, frantic, unchewing wolfing-down of mine was exactly the way Richard Parker ate. † This compares t he close similarities between a man and an animal. Life of Pi Name- Htet Hlaing Hmee ( 1207C20609 ) Period- 1 Life of Pi Novel Proposal Theme- The Nature of Suffering Argument A Point 1- Pi can't imagine a God who suffers Quotation- â€Å"This son, on the other hand, who goes hungry, who suffers from thirst, who gets tired, who is sad, who is anxious, who is heckled and harassed† ( 91 ) Point 2 – Pi stops when he's working out the immediate detail of survival. Quotation – â€Å"I was either fixed on practical details of immediate survival or transfixed by pain, weeping silently, my mouth open and my hands at my head. † (169) Point 3- The worst night of his lifeQuotation- â€Å"It is pointless to say that this or that night was the worst of my life. I have so many bad nights to choose from that I've made none the champion. Still, that second night at sea stands in my memory as one of exceptional suffering† ( 188 ) Argument B Point 1- Suffering grief becomes carnivorous Quotation- â€Å"They were dead; I could no longer deny it. What a thing to acknowledge in your heart! To lose a brother is to lose someone with whom you can share the experience of growing old, who is supposed to bring you a sister-in-law and nieces and nephews, creatures to people the tree of your life and give it new branches. ( 194 ) Point 2 – Orange Juice's suffering to proportions Quotation- â€Å"She was beheaded. The neck wound was still bleeding. It was a horrible sight to the eyes and killing to the spirit. † ( 201 ) Point 3- Realizes his suffering is taking place in the middle of an ocean Quotation- â€Å"I saw my suffering for what it was, finite and insignificant, and I was still. My suffering did not fit anywhere, I realized. And I could accept this† (269) Argument C Point 1- No escape for poor Pi.Quotation- â€Å"Salt-water boils – red, angry, disfiguring – were a leprosy of the high seas, transmitted by the water that soaked me† ( 389 ) Point 2- Pi's suffering drive s him Quotation- â€Å"I ate some of his flesh. I mean small pieces, little strips that I meant for the gaff's hook that, when dried by the sun, looked like ordinary animal flesh† ( 386 ) Point 3- Pi turns to God at one of the points of his Pacific crossing Quotation- â€Å"The lower you are, the higher your mind will want to soar. It was natural that, bereft as I was, in the throes of unremitting suffering, I should turn to God. † ( 428 )

“Freeze!” – Creative Writing

The loaded fork stopped short of the man's mouth. His eyes scanned the room to find out where the shout came from, his eyes followed to the door of the room and stopped. There in the doorway he could make out four officers, guns ready should he move unexpectedly. â€Å"Put your hands where we can see them!† A moment passed as the man wondered whether or not to eat his last forkful before doing as he was told. He thought better of it and put the fork, still loaded on to his plate. Slowly he raised his arms in the air. Officers streamed into the cramped room, surrounding the man there were as many as could fit with space enough to raise a gun. Some officers were what seemed to be too close to the table, but they could not retreat for the officers behind them. One man passed out from the sight, he was dragged out before he caused a commotion. The seated man smiled at the officer's weakness and followed his limp body out of the room with his eyes. There continued a small bustle as the man was arrested, read his rights, cuffed, masked and shackled. He was walked out of the room, up the flight of stairs that led from the basement flat and out in to the street, where he could see how important he was. Squad cars, and two SWAT vans littered the already dark street. The man could just make out the head of the police department sat comfortably in his black, government car. The man was shoved into the back of an armoured van which already contained three well built men. They were fully equipped with batons and cattle prods. The man decided it best to sit quietly and enjoyed the ride in the windowless van. He shut his eyes and dreamed as he swayed with the jolts the dirt road gave the van. What seemed like hours had passed when the van finally stopped. A minute later, the doors opened and the man was pulled out, still cuffed, masked and shackled. He was escorted into a large important looking building filled with blue uniformed men. The man was led through a maze of corridors and pass checks. They came to a narrow, brightly lit, warm corridor with sound proofed walls and bullet-proof Perspex panels and doors that opened in on to neat holding cells. He was taken down to the last cell on the left, even though all the other nine cells were empty. His cuffs and mask were taken off but they left the shackles, he was politely asked to step inside the cell. He thanked the two officers that had been left with him and walked into the cell. The door was locked behind him. The officers out of duty asked if he wanted anything. â€Å"I'm a bit hungry.† The blood drained from the younger officer's face. â€Å"I was wondering if I could finish my meal?† From the look on their faces he could tell the answer was no. â€Å"Maybe I could have a snack, a packet of crisps or something?† Their faces seemed to relax. â€Å"What flavour?† Quested the young officer. â€Å"Bacon if possible.† The man saw the young officer recoil, the older officer seemed better trained and showed no emotion. â€Å"We'll see what we can do.† The older officer stated. â€Å"Thank you,† the man responded, â€Å"By the way, do you know how long I'm going to be here? I mean will I just have to wait for a little bit or will I have more time that I could waste sleeping or something?† â€Å"We don't know. Do what you see fit.† The older officer motioned the younger officer to follow and they walked out of the man's view. The man settled down and took in his surroundings. Three white walls and one Perspex panel and door held him captive. There was a smooth cot bed made up too perfection with cream blankets and sheets. A steel toilet stood quietly in the corner with a small matching basin next to it. Nothing else furnished the room. The man sat down on the floor and leaned against the cot. With the cool metal side of it in his back he knew he would not be comfortable in this position for long, but he was too lazy to move yet. The man shut his eyes and began to dream. His dreams were plagued by food for he was hungry. He had been interrupted during his dinner and so his belly was not full or content. He dreamed of a starter of soft Cornish crackers, smothered with liver pà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½tà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½. For the main course a beautifully cooked meat pie, soaked in gravy with a very small salad on the side. For dessert a tray of mince pies. He always wondered why they never actually had any real mince in them but even so he delighted in eating them, just for their name. Just as he finished his first mince pie and was about to reach out for another, a soft knocking on the door interrupted him. He opened his eyes to the older officer standing outside the cell staring at him. The man stood and stepped forward towards the glass. The officer stepped back and from his pocket produced a shiny packet. â€Å"I only have roast chicken flavour left.† The man looked at the officer puzzled. â€Å"It must have been confiscated from a convict, nobody will miss it I assure you.† The officer spoke too quickly. He placed the packet in the food tray on the floor and slid it shut so that the drawer's content was now on the inside of the cell. The man picked it up. â€Å"Thank you very much. I wasn't expecting anything at all. Thank you again.† The man sat on the cot and proceeded to open the packet of crisps. He placed the bag close to his face and smelled its contents. He looked back at the glass and was surprised to see the officer still there. He smiled and pulled out a wafer of potato. As he crunched into it, the officer turned and walked away, the man thought he saw a smile on the officers face but could not be sure. It almost looked as if the officer was longing for something, but the man dismissed that idea, why would an officer long for a packet of crisps? The officer probably was feeling sorry for the man. The man ate half the packet and decided to save the rest for later. He put the packet under the cot pillow. He kicked off his shoes, imitation leather, slid on to his side and drifted off to sleep on the cot. A long while later, he was woken up by a buzzer he could not see. He stood in time to see four officers at his cell. He was led through another maze of corridors and pass checks to a small questioning room. He was sat down at a medium sized wooden table with two chairs, one that he occupied. A large mirror took up the wall opposite where the man sat. He suspected it to be a two-way mirror for obvious reasons. He was left there with the shackles clinking softly at his ankles. Two officers entered around a half hour later. One sat down, the other stood in the shadow near the door. The seated officer placed a Dictaphone on the table, switched it on and stated the date, time and the names of all present in the room. The man was shocked that it had been a full 12 hours since he had been caught. Then it began; the barrage of questions. First they started slowly; his name, age, date of birth, height, weight and so on. They gave him time to answer each question fully and only asked another when he looked as if he had nothing more to say. Then they began to speed up. â€Å"When was the last time he had food?† He told of the crisps, interrupting they asked what flavour. â€Å"Roast Chicken.† â€Å"Who gave them to you?† â€Å"Another officer, I don't know his name.† â€Å"Do we look stupid?† The man did not answer. â€Å"No officer is allowed to give you food.† â€Å"But-† â€Å"No officer would give you chicken flavour crisps.† The man put his head down as in defeat. â€Å"And before that? What was the next before last thing you ate?† â€Å"Lunch.† â€Å"Consisting of?† â€Å"Meat.† The man had raised his head to look the officer in the face before he had replied. A look clouded both officers' faces. The seated officer rose and motioned the other to sit. This officer was dressed differently, for one she wore a dark blue skirt rather than trousers. Instead of the usual white shirt the men wore, she wore a light blue blouse and a small tailored dark blue waistcoat. â€Å"This, † motioned the now standing officer, â€Å"is officer Ali, first name Aliya. She is very familiar with your type of problem.† â€Å"Hello.† A quiet, slightly shaky voice indicated she was not as good as her introduction. â€Å"Hello Miss.† The man said politely. â€Å"Address the officer properly.† â€Å"Nice to meet you officer Ali.† â€Å"That's okay officer. Let the man relax.† The standing officer grunted indignantly and walked towards the door to lean against the wall near the light switch. â€Å"Okay. Let's start.† The young lady produced a bunch of papers from a small briefcase by her feet. â€Å"These are just a few character tests I need you do to so that I can help you. Would you mind taking one of these?† She looked at the officer for approval. He nodded. â€Å"Not at all officer. I know I'm sick and need help. But I haven't the will power.† The man looked genuine in his feelings. â€Å"Okay. Right. Okay. How often do you eat meat?† She laboured over the last word, as if it was uncommon. â€Å"Not very often only when I can find some. Then I tend to gorge myself on it.† â€Å"And where do you get your†¦meat?† She fuddled over the word again â€Å"An out of town butcher† The man said flatly. â€Å"Really?† She raised her eyebrows in surprise. She suspected he was lying. â€Å"No. I catch it myself. I stalk them and then kill them with a knife, that way not bullets or poison spoils it.† He had lied and had thought better of it to tell he truth. He put his head down again in shame. â€Å"Spoils it?† Her eyebrows now knit together in curios â€Å"The taste is better if there isn't all that stuff.† He was a little cautious of his answers but he was trying to be as honest as he could, he wanted help and they could only help him if they knew everything. â€Å"Ok. Do you think you could ever stop†¦doing what you are doing?† She struggled again to ask these questions. This was new to her, she had only been doing this for about a month and this was the first man who was this honest. The rest of the offenders usually laid the whole way through. She knew why; they had heard of what would happen to them if they were convicted. â€Å"I hope so. I can go without it for long, weeks at a time but then a craving for it plagues my mind and body.† He looked for some kind of reaction in here eyes. Another inquisitive look knotted hey eyebrows together. â€Å"You have withdrawal symptoms?† â€Å"Yes. I start, dreaming. I'm a good cook. I dream up dishes that I can make. I can make anything out of any bit of meat.† He sounded slightly proud of himself. But then he remembered why he was there and retreated back to feeling sorry for himself. â€Å"Can I ask why you call it meat? Not flesh, or food?† â€Å"If you think of it as what it really is, then you begin to feel guilty. I don't like feeling bad, so I don't think of them as anything important, only as bits of meat that taste nice.† It was an answer given matter-of-factly. â€Å"If we put you on a diet of only vegetables would you be able to survive?† She looked for a way out for him, she felt sorry for him. â€Å"Yes of course, I wouldn't like it though.† This was not going well for the man. She asked the final question that she knew would decide his fate. She wished he would answer correctly but she could give no kind of indication to him as to what his answer should be. â€Å"If you had the chance to have meat again after this interview would you take it?† A slight pause as the man put his head down and answered n a small voice. â€Å"Yes.† Suddenly the door burst in and armed guards rushed into the small room. In desperation the man realised that the rumours of what happened to people like him were true and that he had just sealed his fate. â€Å"I mean no, I wouldn't. I wouldn't! I promise, no, no I wouldn't.† He screamed apologetically, begging for forgiveness and promising that he would be good. He sounded like a little boy begging his parents for one more chance after doing something wrong and knowing he would be punished. The office seated stood up and walked out of the room. She looked back at the man with sympathy but she knew she could do nothing. He had answered wrong. He was dragged out of the room by guards who had been waiting outside the door. â€Å"No! I promise, never again!† The man was taken to a cell not too far from the questioning room. He cried and screamed, kicked and bit. He tried everything to free himself. It didn't work. He was thrown into a small cell, 4 foot by 3. Blood was spattered on the walls and the man shook as he realised in his mind what was actually going to happen. Three small flaps near the floor opposite the now bolted steel door snapped open. Out of them came a stream of fat brown rats. They circled him, ring upon ring formed round him, the man stood still, his eyes racing round to each small set of beady eyes. Their bright yellow teeth were visible and chattered every so often, all daring each other to jump first. A silent sign made them all pounce on him. He shrieked and tried to pull them off. They bit through his shirt, on his bare arms and at his legs. Many drew blood on their first bite. These were well-trained assassins. They were hungry and wanted meat. The man's shoes had been kicked during the scrap and now the rats bit at his socks. The man fell on the floor and they swarmed him. Wave upon wave of pain coursed through the man. They were biting all over his body, regardless of whether it was clothed or not. If it were clothed, they would slash an opening and clamber through to the soft skin underneath. The rats were in his shirt, in his trousers biting at everything. The man continued to fight them off, but there were just too many. He kept screaming until one rat dared to jump into in and bite his tongue. The man bit down as hard as he could. Half the rat fell off of him, tail still twitching. He spat the other half out and spat out the rodent's blood, it mingled with his own from the bite on the tip of his tongue. He stopped screaming but when a rat latched on to his nose he yelped in pain. It's tail swung into his mouth and he bit it off accidentally swallowing it. Another rat bit down into the flesh between his thumb and fore finger, he tried to shake it off but the momentum plus the weight of the rat caused the flesh to rip and the rat to fly off with part of the man in it's mouth. It dropped the meat and attacked him again on his other hand hoping for a larger piece. Rats on the man's belly ripped and clawed their way past the skin, getting to the soft meat beneath it. Five especially fat rats tunnelled through the man into his abdomen and chest. The man could not breathe, as his lungs were half eaten. He coughed up blood and in it was a bit of a rat's tail. The man retched but nothing came up as his stomach was on the floor in front of him. Eventually the man ceased to move. His efforts for survival had been futile. The rats continued their meal until all that was left was the bones of a man. When they were full they sat in the corners of the room letting the still-hungry rats gorge till they themselves could eat no more. Hours passed and slowly the rats scampered back to their homes on the other side of the flaps, where more food was. When every rat had gone, two officers shut the flaps, opened the door and collected the remains. They remarked about how efficient the rats were getting, this one had died within two hours of being locked in. The other remarked the time was too short and that every non-vegetarian should endure the most torture they could receive before dying. They both agreed that all meat eaters should be put to death and that this was the most fitting way for it too be done but they still continued to argue over how long it should last. Their argument lasted all the way to the dump where they threw the filled bin liners into a newly dug pit, big enough for thirty bags or so. By then they had grown tired of the discussion and were now debating whether to go to the new veggie-restaurant, or go to the usual veggie noodle bar for lunch.

Barnes Surname Meaning and Origin

Barnes Surname Meaning and Origin The common Barnes  surname is often of topographical origin, deriving from the  Middle English barn, for  barn or granary, and  meaning of the barn (barley house). The use of the name was generally associated with a significant barn in the local region.  Barnes may also be an occupational surname for someone who worked in a barn. An alternative origin for the Barnes last name may be suggested by the parish of Barnes in Aberdeenshire, Scotland which derives its name from the Gaelic word bearn, meaning gap. Barnes was the 101st most common last name in the United States at the time of the 2000 U.S. census. Surname Origin: English, Scottish Alternate Surname Spellings:   BARNS, BERNES Famous People with the Surname BARNES: Jim Barnes - English golfer and first winner of the PGA championshipBrenda Barnes -  Former president of  PepsiCo North America Genealogy Resources for the Surname BARNES: 100 Most Common U.S. Surnames Their MeaningsSmith, Johnson, Williams, Jones, Brown... Are you one of the millions of Americans sporting one of these top 100 common last names from the 2000 census? The Barnes Family YearbookAn annual publication issued under the authority of the Barnes Family Association. Several volumes are available for free viewing from Internet Archive. Barnes DNA Surname ProjectLarry Bowling heads up this DNA project through FamilyTreeDNA with a goal of sorting out various lines of Barnes ancestors from around the world. Barnes Family Genealogy ForumSearch this popular genealogy forum for the Barnes surname to find others who might be researching your ancestors, or ask your own question about your Barnes ancestors. FamilySearch - BARNES GenealogyFind records, queries, and lineage-linked family trees posted for the Barnes surname and its variations. BARNES Surname Family Mailing ListsRootsWeb hosts several free mailing lists for researchers of the Barnes surname. DistantCousin.com - BARNES Genealogy Family HistoryFree databases and genealogy links for the last name Barnes. Looking for the meaning of a given name? Check out First Name Meanings Cant find your last name listed? Suggest a surname to be added to the Glossary of Surname Meanings Origins. - References: Surname Meanings Origins Cottle, Basil. Penguin Dictionary of Surnames. Baltimore, MD: Penguin Books, 1967. Menk, Lars. A Dictionary of German Jewish Surnames. Avotaynu, 2005. Beider, Alexander. A Dictionary of Jewish Surnames from Galicia. Avotaynu, 2004. Hanks, Patrick and Flavia Hodges. A Dictionary of Surnames. Oxford University Press, 1989. Hanks, Patrick. Dictionary of American Family Names. Oxford University Press, 2003. Smith, Elsdon C. American Surnames. Genealogical Publishing Company, 1997. Back to Glossary of Surname Meanings Origins

An Overview of the Process of Balkanization

An Overview of the Process of Balkanization Balkanization is a term used to describe the division or fragmentation of a state or region into smaller, often ethnically similar places. The term can also refer to the disintegration or break-up of other things such as companies, Internet websites or even neighborhoods. For the purposes of this article and from a geographic perspective, balkanization will describe the fragmentation of states and/or regions. In some areas that have experienced balkanization the term describes the collapse of multiethnic states into places that are now ethnically similar dictatorships and have undergone many serious political and social issues such as ethnic cleansing and civil war. As a result, balkanization, especially with regard to states and regions, is typically not a positive term as there is often much political, social and cultural strife that takes place when balkanization occurs. Development of the Term Balkanization Balkanization originally referred to Europe’s Balkan Peninsula and its historic break-up after control by the Ottoman Empire. The term balkanization itself was coined at the end of World War I following this break-up as well as that of the Austro-Hungarian Empire and the Russian Empire. Since the early 1900s, Europe, as well as other places around the world, have seen both successful and unsuccessful attempts at balkanization and there are still some efforts and discussions of balkanization in some countries today. Attempts at Balkanization In the 1950s and 1960s, balkanization began occurring outside of the Balkans and Europe when several British and French colonial empires began fragmenting and breaking up in Africa. Balkanization was at its height in the early 1990s however when the Soviet Union collapsed and the former Yugoslavia disintegrated. With the collapse of the Soviet Union, the countries of Russia, Georgia, Ukraine, Moldova, Belarus, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania were created. In the creation of some of these countries, there was often extreme violence and hostility. For example, Armenia and Azerbaijan experience periodic war over their borders and ethnic enclaves. In addition to violence in some, all of these newly created countries have experienced difficult periods of transition in their governments, economies, and societies. Yugoslavia was created out of a combination of over 20 different ethnic groups at the end of World War I. As a result of differences between these groups, there were friction and violence in the country. Following World War II, Yugoslavia began to gain more stability but by 1980 the different factions within the country began fighting for more independence. In the early 1990s, Yugoslavia finally disintegrated after around 250,000 people were killed by war. The countries eventually created out of the former Yugoslavia were Serbia, Montenegro, Kosovo, Slovenia, Macedonia, Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. Kosovo did not declare its independence until 2008 and it is still not recognized as fully independent by the entire world. The collapse of the Soviet Union and the disintegration of the former Yugoslavia are some of the most successful but also the most violent attempts at balkanization that have taken place. There have also been attempts to balkanize in Kashmir, Nigeria, Sri Lanka, Kurdistan, and Iraq. In each of these areas, there are cultural and/or ethnic differences that have caused different factions to want to break away from the main country. In Kashmir, Muslims in Jammu and Kashmir are trying to break away from India, while in Sri Lanka the Tamil Tigers (a separatist organization for the Tamil people) want to break away from that country. People in the southeastern part of Nigeria declared themselves to be the state of Biafra and in Iraq, Sunni and Shiite Muslims fight to break away from Iraq. In addition, Kurdish people in Turkey, Iraq, and Iran have fought to create the State of Kurdistan. Kurdistan is currently not an independent state but it is rather a region with a mostly Kurdish population. Balkanization of America and Europe In recent years there has been talk of the balkanized states of America and of balkanization in Europe. In these cases, the term is not used to describe the violent fragmentation that occurred in places like the former Soviet Union and Yugoslavia. In these instances, it describes potential divisions based political, economic and social differences. Some political commentators in the United States, for example, claim that balkanized or fragmented because it is special interests with elections in specific areas than with governing the entire country (West, 2012). Because of these differences, there have also been some discussions and separatist movements at the national and local levels. In Europe, there are very large countries with different ideals and opinions and as a result, it has faced balkanization. For example, there have been separatist movements on the Iberian Peninsula and in Spain, particularly in the Basque and Catalan regions (McLean, 2005). Whether in the Balkans or in other parts of the world, violent or not violent, it is clear that balkanization is an important concept that has and will continue to shape the geography of the world.

1990 Dial Soap Vintage Ad-Rough Daft Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

1990 Dial Soap Vintage Ad-Rough Daft - Essay Example This paper discusses the website of an advertising agency to find out what effects the company has employed in the website to make it attractive to the customer. The choice of colour gives the first impression of the website to the customer. The advertising agency has to employ a basic, but professional design such that the website will have a moral and attractive layout (Plummer et al, 2007). The colours must have a strong contrast. This website has employed proper mixture of colours, which make the website have an attractive, classic design (Plummer et al, 2007). The colours that the website uses are three brown, white and black. The only different colour that the website employs is where the advertisements are displayed at the centre of the page. These colours are separated appropriately so that the contrast is valid to the function of the site. The website has employed the classic moving images that flow in with the advertisement. This brings in effect of a quality website design. The images move in a manner that indicates professionalism, this is such that images are not nagging the customer as he/she browses through the website (McGrath, 2008). The images are also hyperlinked so that when a customer likes an item in display he or she just has to click on the image and is switched to the webpage that has the items details (McGrath, 2008). The website employs the use of a suitable font that enables a customer to read whatever is on display without any hindrance (McGrath, 2008). One should not have to struggle to read thing that are displayed in a website, the website designers have to incorporate an appropriate font that will make the website use without requiring magnification. This website is an excellent example of a website that has employed quality fonts to pass across the message (McGrath, 2008). The use of appropriate colour, images, and font has a drastic effect on the customer’s impression of the