The Life Of Ludwig Van Beethoven Essays (1411 words) -

The Life of Ludwig Van Beethoven The Life of Ludwig Van Beethoven The rise of Ludwig van Beethoven into the ranks of history's greatest composers was parallelled by and in some ways a consequence of his own personal tragedy and despair. Beginning in the late 1790's, the increasing buzzing and humming in his ears sent Beethoven into a panic, searching for a cure from doctor to doctor. By October 1802 he had written the Heiligenstadt Testament confessing the certainty of his growing deafness, his consequent despair, and suicidal considerations. Yet, despite the personal tragedy caused by the "infirmity in the one sense which ought to be more perfect in [him] than in others, a sense which [he] once possessed in the highest perfection, a perfection such as few in [his] profession enjoy," it also served as a motivating force in that it challenged him to try and conquer the fate that was handed him. He would not surrender to that "jealous demon, my wretched health" before proving to himself and the world the extent of his skill. Thus, faced with such great impending loss, Beethoven, keeping faith in his art and ability, states in his Heiligenstadt Testament a promise of his greatness yet to be proven in the development of his heroic style. By about 1800, Beethoven was mastering the Viennese High-Classic style. Although the style had been first perfected by Mozart, Beethoven did extend it to some degree. He had unprecedently composed sonatas for the cello which in combination with the piano opened the era of the Classic-Romantic cello sonata. In addition, his sonatas for violin and piano became the cornerstone of the sonata duo repertory. His experimentation with additions to the standard forms likewise made it apparent that he had reached the limits of the high-Classic style. Having displayed the extended range of his piano writing he was also begining to forge a new voice for the violin. In 1800, Beethoven was additionally combining the sonata form with a full orchestra in his First Symphony, op. 2. In the arena of piano sonata, he had also gone beyond the three-movement design of Haydn and Mozart, applying sometimes the four-movement design reserved for symphonies and quartets through the addition of a minuet or scherzo. Having confidently proven the high-Classic phase of his sonata development with the "Grande Sonate," op. 22, Beethoven moved on to the fantasy sonata to allow himself freer expression. By 1802, he had evidently succeeded in mastering the high-Classic style within each of its major instrumental genres-the piano trio, string trio, string quartet and quintet, Classic piano concerto, duo sonata, piano sonata, and symphony. Having reached the end of the great Vienese tradition, he was then faced with either the unchallenging repetition of the tired style or going beyond it to new creations. At about the same time that Beethoven had exhausted the potentials of the high-Classic style, his increasing deafness landed him in a major cycle of depression, from which was to emerge his heroic period as exemplified in Symphony No. 3, op. 55 ("Eroica"). In Beethoven's Heiligenstadt Testament of October 1802, he reveals his malaise that was sending him to the edge of despair. He speaks of suicide in the same breath as a reluctance to die, expressing his helplessness against the inevitability of death. Having searched vainly for a cure, he seems to have lost all hope-"As the leaves of autumn fall and are withered-so likewise has my hope been blighted-I leave here-almost as I came-even the high courage-which often inspired me in the beautiful days of summer-has disappeared." There is somewhat of a parallel between his personal and professional life. He is at a dead end on both cases. There seems to be no more that he can do with the high-Classic style; his deafness seems poised inevitably to encumber and ultimately halt his musical career. However, despite it all, he reveals in the Testament a determination, though weak and exhausted, to carry on-"I would have ended my life-it was only my art that held me back. Ah, it seemed to me impossible to leave the world until I had brought forth all that I felt was within me. So I endured this wretched existence..." Realizing his own potential which he expressed earlier after the completion of the Second Symphony-"I am only a little satisfied with my previous works"-and in an 1801 letter-"I will seize Fate by the throat; it shall certainly not bend and crush me completely"- he decides to go on. At a time when Beethoven had reached the end of the musical challenge of the day,

Abe Lincoln1 essays

Abe Lincoln1 essays History Essay The United Sates declared its independence from Great Britain on July 4, 1776. Great Britain did not recognize its independence until, the Treaty of Paris, two years after the American forces defeated the Britain army at the siege of Yorktown. Since the Articles of Confederation were replaced by the U.S. Constitution in 1789, the United States has had forty-two different presidents. Among these presidents, two of the best have were George Washington, and Abraham Lincoln. This essay will prove that George Washington was the greatest U.S. president of all time. There are certain attributes that good presidents have. It is said that good presidents are always stubborn and disagreeable. 1 Along with those two qualities good presidents are intelligent, selfless, hard working, good communicators, good listeners, good problem solving tactics, determination, and they are able to recognize problems. George Washingtons rise to power started in 1732 when he was born, in Westmorela nd, Virginia on his fathers farm. He lived until 1799, when he died at the age of sixty-seven. He served as president from 1789 threw until 1797. When growing up, George received most of his education from his father and older brother. When he was 17 he was named the surveyor of Culpeper County, this was the first public office position he held.2 When Washington was finished surveying, in November of 1752, he was appointed the adjutant in the colonial militia. His first mission did not come until the following summer, when he volunteered to take a message from Governor, to the French commander. Following this mission he was brought to the kings attention, and he was given a lieutenant colonels commission.3 Washington showed his opposition to Britain started in 1759 when he became a member of Virginias House of Burgesses. He was known to be shy and reserved4 but he opposed the British rules and re...

Benefits of Social Media

In today’s society, communication is somewhat effortless with as much as a cell phone or computer. A text or instant message, via one of the various social networking sites, is how the majority of people today interact with one another. Social media has allowed new unconventional means of education to thrive amongst students of all ages and facilitated new means of easier communication among family and friends. However, along with a broadened network of communication there are precautions and concerns that many have taken in response to the vulnerability of this vast cyberspace. Although social media has its pitfalls, it has also changed the world for the better because it has introduced new innovative methods of education, facilitated easier communication, and has created a new environment for self-expression. Social networking, such as Facebook, Twitter, Myspace, Formspring, and Instagram, has virtually enabled students around the world to create online study groups and chat rooms to enhance their learning experience. In an article by Paulette Stewart, an author for Feature magazine, a group of high school library volunteers are brought together by their librarian to test out an online literature study group on Faceboook. The students mingle and begin to become thoroughly engaged as they read one book each month and then converse about the literature they had read. Throughout the simulation, the students begin to come forward and speak more openly about their opinions and literary views of the novels they had read (29). This example shows how Facebook, a social networking site, proved to be a productive educational outlet for students to engage socially with each other in a virtual classroom which resulted in authentic research and easier communication amongst students via a social media outlet. Although social media such as Facebook, has helped broaden education into different outlets other than the traditional classroom, there are some questions many people have about how safe these online environments are. Dr. Stephanie Huffman, an Associate Professor at the University of Central Arkansas with a PhD in Leadership Studies, reveals that â€Å"social networking increases the likelihood of new risks to the self†¦Ã¢â‚¬  and â€Å"†¦loss of privacy† are very prominent aspects of joining a social networking site (154). There are many disputes today that debate whether social networking is safe because it allows, not only friends and family, but an entire network of people, most of whom are strangers, to see personal information, interactions with others, and individual thought. Although there are some risks of putting information on the web that reveals ones identity, as Stewart mentioned in her article previously, there are many privacy settings that are enabled to the user of the account (30). For example, on Facebook there are settings that allow the user to limit their profiles to be viewed by only people that they are friends with, which are called â€Å"Privacy Settings†. Websites, such as Facebook, Twitter, and other social media are very beneficial in many ways that are helpful for education and introduces new styles of education to educators. Even though these new forms of learning are not traditional and physical forms of a classroom setting, these virtual classes still provide all the necessary components of learning. For example, Stewart conveyed activities such as social camaraderie amongst students by working together, researching subjects in more depth due to access to more information, and students having more honest opinions in a non face-to-face environment versus an online group chat (32). However, students are warned to remain aware that â€Å"once information is released into cyberspace, it becomes a part of a global network† (Huffman 155). On the other hand, students do have the choice to take full advantage of privacy settings and monitoring the status of their information that they release to the web, friends, and potentially unknown viewers of their information. Overall, when using social media for educational purposes there are many benefits that, when taken advantage of, enhance educational experiences because of modern-day advancements in social media and networking. Over the last decade, social media has undoubtedly changed the way people communicate. Two people no longer have to be face to face to communicate and can now receive responses within seconds. In an article written by Nafaa Jabeur, Sherali Seadally, and Biju Sayed, authors for the Communications of the ACM journal, called â€Å"Mobile Social Networking Applications†, GPS tracking systems in Mobile Social Networking (MSN) devices allows users to locate other users, areas and amenities nearby that concern the same interests as them (74). Social media has assisted communication by facilitating the means of connecting multiple individuals. Examples include Jabeur, Zeadally, and Sayed’s article’s claim that news is easier spread using the technology of MSN, which helps notify copious amounts of people in an urgent manner, of incidents in their local areas (Jabeur. Zeadally, Sayed 76). However, there are questions about if social media is taking over society in a negative aspect rather than helping it. In a study called â€Å"Problematic Use of Social Networking Sites†, documented by Dr. Parth Singh Meena, Pankaj Kumar Mittal and Ram Humar Solanki, Psychiatrists for the Industry Psychiatry Journal, research shows that social media is greatly increasing in, mainly, teenagers and young adults to somewhat of a dangerous high (94). Studies have shown that â€Å"from April 2008 to April 2009, the total minutes spent on Facebook in the U. S. , in particular, has increased from 1. 7 billion minutes to 13. 9 billion minutes† (Meena, Mittal, and Solanki 95). Although these numbers of the increased amount of social media users is shocking, there are many beneficial reasons for taking advantage of new technology. A positive example of why excessive use of social media may be helpful is received through an article called â€Å"Targeted Social Mobilization in a Global Manhunt† where Alex Rutherford, data scientist at the UN Global Pulse Research Center, and many other researchers followed a simulation to track down five individuals in many different cities and states based on just a headshot, using nothing but social media sites for urgent information (1). Using websites such as Twitter, Facebook, and Google search engine, the simulation found three out of the five individuals only used social media (Rutherford, et. al. 2). This example shows how using social media can be helpful in communicating with people around the world in urgent situations. Social networking sites such as Twitter, Facebook, Formspring, and Myspace make it capable to talk to people’s next-door neighbors or to talk to someone halfway across the world. These sites allow individuals to create profiles and custom pages that showcase personal information, interests and hobbies for virtually anyone to see. For example, Twitter has a certain section of the website that allows users to see â€Å"Trending Topics† around the world that involve the most popular topics of conversation to be shared with the entire Twitter community. By using the Trending Topics the user is connected with, virtually, the entire world by communicating with people from different countries, backgrounds, languages, and cultures. Dr. Stephanie Huffman, as mentioned earlier, believes that social networking allows users to broaden their experiences â€Å"through presentation of self, learning, building relationships, exposure to other diverse groups† and many more valuable attributes (154). An important issue to be made aware of in social media is cyber-bullying. There have been numerous studies and extensive research about the effects of cyber-bullying and speculation of how to put an end to this phenomenon. Neal Geach, a professor and extensive researcher at the University of Hertfordshire, and Nicola Haralambous, a researcher and professor of Criminal Law at Coventry University, produced an article, â€Å"Regulating Harassment: Is the Law Fit for the Social Networking Age? †, that discusses the dangers of cyber bullying and the laws that are being put into place to regulate it. Their article exhibits many laws, some of which do pertain to the Internet and social media. There are laws being put into place specifically dealing with harassment that occurs on online social media sites (Geach and Haralambous 248). Dr.  Peter Kiriakidis, a professor of research at the University of Queens and has a Ph. D. in Educational Leadership, and Dr. Demarques Lakes performed a case study on student-to-student bullying to gain insight from teachers and educational staff on what they have observed about online bullying. Their research found that â€Å" most teachers also reported that they associate academic underperformance of certain students to be the result of some form of cyber bullying† which supports the idea that educator’s are becoming more aware of this issue and it’s side effects and trying to find helpful solutions (Kiriakidis and DeMarques 109). The Internet can be a productive and innovative outlet for positive self-expression if used correctly and cautiously. Social networking sites help users gain insight for themselves and others by discovering new interests and groups of people that enjoy the same pastimes as them (154). Although these freedoms come with a price, there are many ways to cut down online obstacles such as bullying, harassment, and negative pressures of society. There are several privacy settings on sites such as Twitter, Facebook, and Myspace that eliminate the chance of an unknown user viewing your profile and personal information (Stewart 30). Also available to all users on every social networking site is a â€Å"Block Report† button that allows the user to block as many other users as they want from their page so that none of their information, comments, or personal information is released to that certain user. If a certain user is becoming an issue with violent or irrational behavior over the Internet, every user also has the option to report another user for inappropriate behavior to the site to resolve the issue. In conclusion, society has benefitted greatly from social media networks and offers a multitude of advantages for many reasons. Education has been greatly impacted by the numerous and endless possibilities of transforming the concept of learning into a more modern and experimental structure. Social media has facilitated a new form of open communication that has made long distance relationships possible and global communication easier. Social networking has also introduced a new era of presentation of self by allowing online users to share their monumental, life moments through pictures, status’, comments, and interests. When all is considered, social media among children, teens, college students, and other adults is overall beneficial and innovative to society.

Means of Education Quality Improvement Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Means of Education Quality Improvement - Essay Example The overall quality of education can be enhanced by eliminating the grading and reporting system. Educators should not rely on grades while judging the student’s command over any subject. It is hard to judge the academic performance of a student through a single alphabetic letter. It has been observed that letter grades are not sufficient enough to evaluate the academic performance of a student, however, detailed reporting methods can fairly justify the student’s command and these methods can help a student for his self-evaluation in a more purposeful manner. According to Alfie Kohn, grading system can make a student lose his interest from his studies, therefore, these methods should not be considered as vital tools for motivation. He has further suggested that students do not take their studies seriously; they focus more on achieving good grades rather taking their studies as a mode of learning and self-development which can hinder the process of learning as well as it can also adversely affect the thought process in a student. In his essay, â€Å"From Degrading to De-Grading† Alfie Kohn has emphasized the need of grading-free education system because this would enable the students to take more challenging assignments, raise the competition and make them think out-of-the-box whereas in traditional grading system students focus more on acquiring an â€Å"A† grade by taking the easiest assignments and putting comparatively fewer efforts than by taking any challenging hard assignments.

TOMS Shoes and its Negative Impacts as a Humanitarian Aid Organisation Essay

TOMS Shoes and its Negative Impacts as a Humanitarian Aid Organisation - Essay Example And of course, this is exactly what TOMS shoes does. This program targets children in Africa with an intention to help curb some health issues associated with lack shoes in Africa. However, this humanitarian model for TOMS has economic impacts on the African continent. Apart from not being able to solve the issue it is meant to solve, it gives rise to at least two economic problems. The assumption on which the argument against aid is based on is that these poor people would be able to buy the locally produced shoes if the local enterprises were supported and helped to get the technology to produce cost-effectively and thus transfer these cost savings to the local people. This however, as Glennie (2009) argues, is not necessarily entirely true because aid programs such as TOMS shoes program operate under the presumption that the beneficiaries would not afford to buy their own shows even if they were produced locally and sold to them cheaply. The argument about this can be a philosophical one and depends on the perspective one decides to take. As Easterly (2007) says, humanitarian aid in Africa has for a long time been accused of crippling economic growth in the African continent. For instance, the results of a research done in 2008 indicated that the donation of second hand clothes to African nations proved to be responsible for the reduction of employment by at least 50% in the respective industry (Favini, 2013). Growth experts have also indicated that the only real opportunity for growth is the support of local manufacturers in order to create jobs for the many jobless people in the continent. What aid programs such as the TOMS shoes buy-one-give-one program are doing to Africa is that they are flooding the local economies with free items which have been made outside the continent, thus killing off market for

Plant Pigment Chromatography Essay Example for Free

Plant Pigment Chromatography Essay 1. Describe what each of your chromatography strips looked like. Specifically, identify the pigments on each strip and compare their positions to one another. Plants have four types of pigments, namely chlorophyll, carotenoids, anthocyanins, and xanthophylls. These pigments have different polarities and chemical properties. In paper chromatography, the pigments will separate based on their affinity to the medium (paper), and affinity for the solvent. The solvents used in this experiment are water (polar) and acetone (mid-polar). Therefore, the different pigments will migrate based on their respective polarities too. The pattern of migration will be similar for acetone and distilled water. The fastest to migrate (or found at the topmost of the paper strip) will be anthocyanin, followed by carotenoids, then xanthophylls and lastly chlorophyll. Chlorophyll is insoluble in polar solvents therefore it will migrate slowest in both water and acetone and will be found closest to the bottom of the paper strip. 2. Which pigments did the spinach and the red leaf lettuce have in common? Propose an explanation for this. Spinach and red lettuce will have the same pigments, only they will be in different concentrations. Plants have different pigments to maximize their photosynthesizing capability. With different pigments, all the photosynthetically active radiation emitted by the different light wavelengths will be absorbed. For example, the green pigment chlorophyll will not absorb the green wavelength; therefore, the carotenoids and the xanthophylls will absorb light in that region to increase absorption rate. 3. Which pigments were soluble in water? In acetone? Why are some pigments carried further from their original position than others? Chlorophyll is not soluble in water and only slightly soluble in acetone. Carotenes and anthocyanins are highly soluble in water. Some pigments travel further away from their original position compared to others because these specific pigments are more soluble in water or acetone than the others are. The differences in solubility are attributed to their different chemical structures and composition. 4. In the fall, leaves often change colours as the day shortens. Propose an explanation for this colour change. What do you think happens to the green pigments? Why dont we see the other pigments during the summer? In some trees, changes in leaf colour occur in autumn. Changes in day and night temperatures, daylength and light intensity will signal that autumn is about to set in. In autumn, the production of food, through the process of photosynthesis, is minimized to conserve energy and resources. With this, the plant will stop manufacturing chlorophyll, the photosynthetic pigment responsible for the green colour in plants. Without any chlorophyll, the other pigments that are present in the leaf, like anthocyanin and carotene, become exposed. These pigments do not absorb red and yellow in the light spectrum, therefore leaves with high carotenes show yellow, red, and orange colours. 5. Which pigments are most crucial to plant survival? Outline the functions of these pigments. Chlorophyll a and b are the pigments that are most crucial to the survival of the plants. These two pigments are present in the highest amount in the leaves compared to other pigments. The pigments absorb light and transmit the energy from this light to other chlorophyll molecules towards the photochemical reaction centre in the dark reaction phase of photosynthesis (Mathews Van Holde, 1996). Chlorophyll therefore plays a very important role in photosynthesis. Conclusion Plants have a large number of pigments to carry out photosynthesis to ensure that the absorption of photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) is maximized. Individually, the different pigments will absorb only a certain range of wavelengths in the PAR. For example, chlorophyll will not absorb the blue green region while carotenoids will try to absorb energy in the green region of the light spectra. References Mathews, C. K. , Van Holde, K. (1996). Biochemistry (Second ed. ). Menlo Park: The Benjamin Cummings Publishing Company, Inc. ,.

Capital Punishment: Is It Right or Wrong? :: Argumentative Persuasive Essays

Capital Punishment is a controversial topic discussed in today's society. Capital punishment is often not as harsh in other countries as we may call harsh in our country. There is a heated debate on whether states should be able to kill other humans or not. But if we shall consider that other countries often have more deadly death penalties than we do. People that are in favor of the death penalty say that it saves money by not paying for housing in a maximum prison but what about our smaller countries that abide by the rule of the capital punishment. If one were to look at the issues behind capital punishment in an anthropological prospective than one would see that in some cases no one would assume that capital punishment here in the U.S. is bad. Now those opposed say that it is against the constitution, and is cruel and unusual punishment for humans to be put to his or her death. I believe that the death penalty is against the constitution and is cruel and unusual punishment. The death penalty is cruel because you cannot punish anyone worse than by killing them. It is an unusual punishment because it does not happen very often and it should not happen at all. Therefore, I think that capital punishment should be abolished, everywhere.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   I understand that capital punishment is the death penalty, and has been legal in most states for many years and has been legal around the world but its still wrong. Most countries will use capital punishment without justifying the cause. Even though here in the U.S. you can have a trial but other places are bad. Everyone can form there own opinions but just because a kid steals from a store isn’t right but in Iraq but the kid would eventually go to jail and get the capital punishment. America's laws are based on the Constitution. They are considered to be justifiable and what should be right; and are supposed to be the foreground for future laws. It is unconstitutional, though, for an American to be sentenced to his or her death. The eighth amendment states that "Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted" (US Constitution). It would be against the Constitution for an American to be put to death because it can be considered cruel and unusual punishment.

Advantages and disadvantages of religion definition Essay

Identify and Briefly explain one advantage and two disadvantages of Functional definitions of Religion. (9 marks). One disadvantage of Functionalism in defining religion is that Conservative force states that it’s difficult to see how religion can be functioning to socialise society’s members into morality and social integration if only a minority of people attend church on a regular bases. Durkheim used the idea of Totems being able to bring ‘clans’ together and that the society used this totem as a way of worshipping togetherness. However, only a small amount of aboriginal groups were used, so it could be invalid and misleading to use this to generalise all aborigines let alone Religion as a whole. An advantage of functional definitions of religion is through the example of collective worship within a country of civil religion to show that there is still collective worship. For example, America’s new collection of beliefs, rituals and symbols with respect to things esablished within American’s society, it’s not opposed to Christianily and in fact shares a lot in common with it but is not in any extent Christian. This allows the bringing together of nations and allows the symbolisation of the nation as the ‘people’, so therefore people in America worsip Americanism. Anotheer criticism of functional definition of religion is that it ignores dysfunctional aspects and gives little consideration to hostility between different religious groups. For example, Northan Ireland and Bosnia. These religious diversions have caused social disruption and conflict rather than promoting social order which Durkheim says is maintained by the teaching of moral norms and values and creating a collective conscience where everyone sticks together. Therefore this is proven false on the aspect of it being relevant to all religions due to the religious conflict in Ireland and Bosnia.

How Penicillin Changed the World Essay

Life before September 1928 proved to be a difficult time for many. The quality of life across the world was poor, and humans had a considerably shorter lifespan than today. Bacterial infections ranked as a leading cause of death. These infections spread easily, and diseases such as pneumonia, syphilis, gonorrhea, diphtheria, and scarlet fever as well as wounds and childbirth infections killed thousands every year. Surgical infections were also a major killer, and doctors had no protection from any of these infections. The discovery of the first antibiotic, penicillin, in 1928 changed the lives of people forever. Penicillin provided a cure for many deadly infections, and its discovery led to the discovery of many other antibiotics, such as streptomycin, which are used to treat everyday infections for countless ailments, saving and improving lives throughout the world. Before the discovery of penicillin, medicine was not very reliable for curing diseases or infections. Many people in t he late 1800’s- 1920s were dying from the common cold (Tames 12). The Center for Disease Control and Prevention states,â€Å"Diseases such as pneumonia, tuberculosis (TB), and diarrhea and enteritis, which (together with diphtheria) caused one third of all deaths in the late 1800’s to early 1900’s†. 1918 proved to be an especially devastating time with 20 million lives lost due to a wide spread of influenza that no known medication could cure. During this time vaccinations were the most helpful medication but even with their help, thousands still died from many diseases and infection (CDC). The discovery of penicillin is described as being miraculous. Penicillin is responsible for curing thousands of diseases and infections since the 1940’s. It saves hundreds of thousands of lives that would otherwise be lost due to these infections. Treating everything from cuts and scrapes to major diseases such as syphilis, penicillin is used for just about everything in today’s world (Wong). Wong stated, â€Å"Without the discovery of this antibiotic thousands of people would still be dying from the same diseases that killed hundreds of years ago†. Despite the success of the drug, penicillin, discovered by Dr. Alexander Fleming, was an accidental finding. Fogel commented in his article, â€Å"Fleming was known as being an unorganized and messy scientist†. He was researching a culture of staphylococcus aureus , a pathogenic bacteria,  and left for a two week vacation. When he returned he observed that the specimen was contaminated by a species of penicillium and the penicillium prohibited the growth of the staphylococcus aureus (Wong). Fleming decided to further his research and discovered that this mold was capable of killing a wide range of harmful bacteria. He published his findings in the British Journal of Experimental Pathology, where other scientists observed them and decided to turn penicillin into something more than just a laboratory finding (â€Å"Discovery and Development of Penicillin†). In the early days of penicillin production, only small amounts of the drug were produced, which caused major issues for doctors and surgeons testing the antibiotic. Once penicillin was developed enough for testing, it became high in demand. Producers of the drug could only fermentate small amounts at a time, growing the penicillium bacteria in bedpans, milk churns, and food tins (â€Å"Discovery and Development of Penicillin†). Endocrine Today states, â€Å"It took seven months to grow enough of the bacteria to cure 6 patients†. This caused many issues for doctors and surgeons testing the drug, since they couldn’t complete their trials with the limited resource. Many patients who received penicillin died from relapse of diseases since doctors did not have the amount of the drug needed to completely eradicate the disease. It wasn’t until the late 1930’s that increased production of the drug occurred with the development of customized fermentation tanks that would allow 500 liters of penicillin to be produced per week (â€Å"Penicillin: An Accidental Discovery Changed the Course of Medicine†). Although penicillin was limited in resource, tests on the new drug proved to be successful. Performing the first test with penicillin were Howard Florey and Ernst Chain, who injected 50 mice first with harmful Streptococci then with penicillin. The test proved to be successful in eradicating the disease from the mice. According to Tames, â€Å"The first human test of penicillin was Albert Alexander, a 43 year old police officer that suffered a small cut from a rose thorn that turned into a life-threatening infection with huge abscesses affecting his eyes, face, and lungs† (24). Alexander was injected with penicillin and within days he made a miraculous recovery. Unfortunately, the limited amount of penicillin ran out, and he died three days later. Another test was performed on a four year old boy with a fatal  infection, and he was cured completely. Scientists who worked for major pharmaceutical companies wanted to purify the drug even more for widespread use all over the wo rld (â€Å"Discovery and Development of Penicillin†). Accordingly, penicillin’s use in World War II decreased the amount of soldier deaths that were the result of diseases and infections. In World War I, 200,000 soldiers died from disease and infection. The Center for Disease Control states, â€Å"The most common diseases for both world wars were pneumonia ,strep throat, scarlet fever, diphtheria, syphilis, gonorrhea, meningitis, tonsillitis,and rheumatic fever†. With the help of penicillin, in World War II the number of soldier casualties dropped significantly to around 9000. Death rate from pneumonia was 18% in WWI; and in WWII it was less than 1% (â€Å"Penicillin the Wonder Drug†). In addition to its benefits in World War II, penicillin also dropped the death rate from amputation. Amputations were extremely risky in the late 1800s to early 1900’s because of the inadequacy of medication and sanitation in hospitals. Thousands of soldiers came home from the war needing amputations from sustained injuries. Tames states, â€Å"Before the induction of penicillin 75% of amputations resulted in death† (45). Penicillin’s use in these procedures reduced that number to 30% (68). Antibiotics made it safe to operate on limbs without the fear of infection for thousands of people. Furthermore, the discovery of penicillin paved the way to the discovery of other antibiotics. Penicillins success inspired many scientists and pharmacists to research other products that could be helpful in medicine. Many scientists tested bacterias and natural fruits for harmful bacteria fighting properties (â€Å"The fungus that changed history†). Endocrine Today states, â€Å"A number of pharmaceutical industries began to screen other natural products for antibacterial activity, which led to new antibiotics such as aminoglycosides and tetracycline† (â€Å"Penicillin: An Accidental Discovery Changed the Course of History†). These new antibiotics, just like penicillin, were successful in the treatment and eradication of many infections and diseases. As a result from the discovery of new antibiotics along with penicillin, many diseases and infections that killed thousands finally had a cure. Krebs states in his article, â€Å"Before penicillin,  tuberculosis, scarlet fever, diphtheria, syphilis, anthrax, strep, and staph often resulted in death†. Doctors and surgeons didn’t have the medication to cure many of the diseases that were major killers at the time. With the discovery and induction of penicillin, most if not all those diseases and infections are now curable (â€Å"The Fungus that Changed H istory†). Today, less than 10% of the worlds population die from the same diseases that killed in the late 1800’s-early 1900’s (Wong). Subsequently, penicillin is still as popular as it was in the 1930’s, despite the growing number of allergies and antibiotic resistance against it. The overuse and misuse of penicillin has caused many to develop antibacterial resistance against the drug. Allergies caused by penicillin are the most common of all drug allergies. Some scientists claim that penicillin allergies are caused by a person’s immune system genetic makeup that is designed to fight all bacteria. Despite this, â€Å"Penicillin is the most widely used antibiotic in the world†, and it continues to be effective in curing deadly diseases (â€Å"Penicillin: An Accidental Discovery Changed the Course of Medicine†). Penicillin has changed the world in an extremely positive way. It has provided the means for treating and curing deadly diseases and infections, as well as lead to the discovery of other disease killing antibiotics. Millions of lives have been saved and improved a result of this discovery. Without the â€Å"mistake† Alexander Fleming supposedly made the world would still be one with meager medical treatments; and thousands would still be dying from the fatal diseases that took so many lives in the 1800’s. Penicillin has truly fabricated the world of medicine into what it is today.

Freedom of Speech in China and Political Reform

Freedom of Speech in China and Political Reform Introduction Freedom of speech is a human right that is very essential and entails the expression of ideas and opinions freely hence promoting peace and order in a country or even an institution as people feel represented and honored. It is through the expression of opinions that invention and innovation is nurtured and hence there is growth and development.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Freedom of Speech in China and Political Reform specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Freedom of speech enhances free flow of information and ideas hence promoting democracy, creativity and growth. Political reform on the other hand is a social and political movement that makes gradual changes in the society or country and therefore freedom of speech is necessary in the process of political reform. Freedom of speech is an essential basic human right and each and every individual is entitled to have it. It should however not be misused u nder any circumstance but used constructively to promote growth rather than rebellion. The introduction of political reform in China ought to be gradual just as the economic reforms so that it can be easily absorbed without interfering with the functioning and continuity of the state (Cuizon 1). Background Information China worked on the principles of a political thinker, Confucius, until the start of the twentieth century. He emphasized on the importance of ethics and morals in all undertakings rather than the use of force and violence to make things done. The importance of human rights like the freedom of speech was however not taken into consideration. Towards the end of the twentieth century, China became business oriented and there were lots of economic and political reforms under the rule of Deng. He believed that for a nation to progress and develop there had to be enlightened people and so he allowed for more open debate and discussions that would enhance exchange of ideas a nd opinions that lead to development. There was great freedom of speech, press and movement but this idea was not received well and some people thought that too much freedom was not necessary and that they should have gone back to the earlier days. This was because although the reforms had led to growth and development, it also brought about inflation leading to peaceful and even violent demonstrations as citizens demanded more democracy (Rana 2). Although the constitution of China has the provision of the freedom of speech, association, press and even demonstration, the freedom is not there in reality since the constitution forbids the undertaking of anything that is contrary to the interests of the states. The rights are not implemented unless a supplementary law is passed by the national legislature.Advertising Looking for essay on government? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More There are therefore restrictions to hum an rights and people who are seen to express and advocate for freedom are punished and prosecuted for the offense of inciting others or trying to undermine the state’s powers. Some face penalties like losing their jobs, detention and rebuke. Freedom of speech and press are vital concepts in attainment of political reform in China. This is because it enhances decision making in regard to the country’s politics through engaging the citizens in the current social and political affairs. The involvement of the citizens in the nation’s decision making is fundamental as it makes them feel represented and also prepare the citizens socially on all the changes that are bound to happen in their nation and hence avoid resistance as it could be the case when the changes would occur without their consent or knowledge. Political reform in China is triggered by the widespread corruption in the nation as there are many instances of abuse of public funds and resources for individ ual gains. Corruption is exacerbated by the fact that the citizens have got no powers and the state is in control of all the aspects involving the citizens for instance, it possesses power over the legislature, judicial and executive arms of the government, the press or media, colleges and universities and even markets. Democracy is therefore viewed as a solution to this problem and it can only be introduced through political reform. The idea of democracy is however received with a lot of controversies because in however much the leaders desire to eliminate the aspect of corruption, they have the fear of losing the monopoly power prevalent in the communist party. Even with the realization that something needs to be done, allowing for democracy, the Chinese leaders are still resistant on the need for change (Zhao 3). It is however evident that the process of establishing democracy in China has been slower that that of capitalism. This is because of the monopoly of power of the Chines e Communist Party and the lack of freedom of speech and press and independent government body. Although China is not a democracy, its view on democratic aspects is changing and there is the possibility of the adoption of democracy as a political system in future (Li Viii). There have been changes in the China’s political ideology due to the urge to have freedom of speech and democracy and as a result, there have been major political changes and developments for instance there has been the emergence of civil society as opposed to the Mao’s era where there was no chance for formation of any independent civil society.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Freedom of Speech in China and Political Reform specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More There has been an increase in formation independent and legitimate civil organizations and associations that give the citizens a medium to air their opinions. The political reform has also led to improved national legal system and promotion of the rule of law. This is because the leaders in China have recognized the need to establish and promote a good legal system to compliment the growing market economy. This promotes democracy in the political system in China. Local autonomy and direct elections is another concept that was enhanced by political reform in China. Democracy was viewed as a stepping stone to political development and the citizens were allowed to make their leadership decisions by directly voting for or electing their leaders. This enhanced peace and order as the citizens felt comprehensively represented. Political transparency is another key aspect. The political reform emphasize on openness and transparency in all affairs of the government through involvement of the citizens. The government has the obligation to inform the citizens of the policies and regulations and all the government affairs affecting them comprehensively and at the right time to ensure that they are aware of the events taking place or those that are to take place and voice their opinions. The National Leading Group on Governmental Transparency promotes this by emphasizing openness in governmental affairs as a legal obligation of the government at al levels, adoption of a service commitment and responsibility investigating system, and establishment of a disaster management system. Due to consideration of the citizens in the government political affairs, there has been an improvement in public services provision as the government become service oriented. This has been achieved through simplification of the administrative examination and approval system and implementation of one stop shopping service model. Incorporation of public hearings and considerations in decision making is another positive factor brought about by political reform. This has made use of the public to ensure that the services offered by the government are in line to the needs of th e citizens hence satisfaction and contentment that promotes peace and order. Although the political reforms have been associated with major positive results, its main goal is to set up a modern system that promotes democratic governance in the nation and hence recognizing and protecting the citizen’s rights under all circumstances (Li 50). Freedom of speech and political reform in China are directly related and affect one another. When the citizens are given the freedom of speech, they are able to participate fully in the nation’s development and hence contribute positively to the political reforms.Advertising Looking for essay on government? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More On the other hand, the leaders may consider restricting the freedom of speech of the citizens so as to exercise monopoly and carry out activities the way they desire. This however cannot succeed as the citizens will be rebellious as they feel neglected. It is therefore advisable to allow democracy and freedom of speech to enhance the process of political reform. Conclusion Political reform is a positive step in any country when it follows the right direction and procedures. It should always aim at attaining political legitimacy and promoting social welfare and development. It should also cater for the needs of all citizens especially the marginalized and promote political, social and economic stability in the nation. Cuizon, Gwendolyn. â€Å"What is Freedom of Speech?: Importance of Free Speech.† Suite 101.com. 2009, March 6. Web. Li, Cheng. Chinas Changing Political Landscape: Prospects for Democracy. Washington D.C: Brookings Institution Press, 2008. Rana, Mitter. â€Å"A Short History of Free Speech in China: New Internationalist.† FindArticles.com, 2010. Web. Zhao, Suisheng. Debating Political Reform in China: Rule of Law vs. Democratization. New York: M.E. Sharpe, 2006.

Answers Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Answers - Assignment Example There are religious people, the seminarian and the priest. There are also his children: the son Hubert, the oldest daughter Genevieve, and Marie, the youngest daughter who died. He mentions his nephew Luc, and his sister in law Marinette who is Luc’s mother. Genevieve is married to Alfred, and they have a child, Janine who is married to Phili. Hubert is married to Olympe. Louis also has an illegitimate son called Robert. 2. Louis is the main character of this novel. What are the significant events of his life? Who is involved in the events of his life? Would you be able to fill out a timeline of Louis' life – Louis as a child and young man; Louis as an adult; Louis as he's dying? In the first phase of his life Louis has a lot of good fortune, despite his humble origins. He has a fine education and marries Isa, who is socially in a higher class than he is. He describes having children with her, but becoming distant with his wife in mid life , and leaving the church. He h as a lot of success in his job as a lawyer, but as he grows older he is unfaithful and bitter. As an older man he is sick, and wants revenge on his ungrateful children, but a part of him is conscious of his own faults in this life story so far. 3. What kind of man is Louis? How would you describe him? Does Louis change at all over the course of the novel? If you say 'yes,' why does he change? I would describe Louis as eloquent but somewhat self-absorbed. He analyzes everything in great detail, and holds a grudge for decades if something does not please him. He was undoubtedly a very unpleasant man in mid-life and as an older man, acting like a tyrant in his family and being very irritable. As death approaches, however, he does undergo some change, because he reflects on the whole of his life and looks behind superficial actions, both his own actions and those of others. I think this makes him more generous and accepting of human weakness than before, and so he does undergo some kind of transformation at the end. 4. What is the nature of Louis' relationship with his wife, Isa, at the time that Louis is writing this letter? How does Louis feel toward Isa? Why? Do we get any sense of how Isa feels about Louis? The best way to describe Louis’ feelings towards Isa is â€Å"mixed†. 5. Was Louis and Isa's relationship always as it is at this point in time? What was the effect on Louis of falling in love with Isa? Louis obviously loved her when he married her, and was jealous of the man she loved before she knew him. He had money and she had social status, and so in practical terms it was a good marriage. He thought he had attained the kind of wife he deserved, and she made him happy at first. 6. How does their relationship change and evolve over time? Why does it change? The relationship deteriorates because Louis cannot forgive a relationship she had with another man before her marriage to Louis. She continues to be a good mother to their children, but she withdraws from Louis, and he withdraws from her. Enmity creeps in, and he regards her as a hypocrite because she is very religious, and yet cold towards him. Louis thinks Isa does not properly recognize and value his work achievements (Part VI, p 77 â€Å"you were the only person who remained deaf to the universal applause of my gifts as a pleader†). 7. What is Louis' relationship to each of his children? How does he think of them? What does he feel about them? Louis is very fond of his youngest daughter Marie, who died. He is not friendly towards Hubert and Genevieve,

Failed states should be placed in the care of the Trusteeship Council Essay

Failed states should be placed in the care of the Trusteeship Council. Discuss - Essay Example Factors like government stability and social peace are taken into consideration for deciding the status of a state, whether it is failed or not. Current paper presents the context of failed state focusing on the following issue: should failed states be placed in the care of the Trusteeship Council. The role of the above Council is reviewed and evaluated, especially in regard to the interaction of the Council with the failed states worldwide. It is made clear that the Trusteeship Council could play such role but under certain terms: that the national identity and the control over the national territory will not be threatened. 2. Failed states and the Trusteeship Council 2.1 Failed states - characteristics In order to understand the potential need of failed states to be set under the care of the Trusteeship Council it would be necessary to explain primarily the characteristics of these states. In the literature the failure of states has been extensively explored. According to Harpviken , Enjolras and Sivesind (2010) a state can be characterized as failed only if certain terms are met. Reference is made, for example, to the view of Zartman (1995) who noted that a state is considered as failed ‘when the basic functions of the state are no longer performed’ (Zartman 1995 in Harpviken, Enjolras and Sivesind 2010, p.29). A state can be also characterized as failed if ‘it has not been able to establish the features associated with statehood’ (Harpviken, Enjolras and Sivesind 2010, p.29). In other words, a state can be failed either since its beginning, if it has not managed to implement the functions required for building its identity as a state, or at a later point of time, when its functions, which have been successful implemented, become inactive. This means that for all states no guarantee can exist in regard to their success or failure. Of course, as long as a state is carefully structure and its functions are closely monitored it is quite difficult for the particular state to become a failed state. From another point of view, Rotberg (2010) noted that failed states are characterized by ‘the collapse of government’ (Rotberg 2010, p.43), as this collapse can have many consequences, such as social disorder, threats against human rights, lack of necessary food and so on (Rotberg 2010, p.43). In other words, states can be characterized as failed not only because of the status of their functions but also of the status of their politics. Naude, Santos-Paulino and McGillivray (2011) claim that failed states tend to face specific problems, such as ‘weak governance and unequal distribution of goods and wealth’ (Naude, Santos-Paulino and McGillivray (2001, p.44). On the other hand, there are states that have no government due to the lack of necessary majority of voters, as for example in the case of Belgium; also, these states continue to operate with no problem being in a pre-election period for quit e a long period of time. This means that the view of Rotberg, as presented above, that the collapse of government results necessarily to the failure of a state, is not verified. Akpinarli (2009) argues that problematic states can be categorized as follows: failed and failing, a distinction also accepted by Herdegen (Akpinarli 2009, p.97). It is explained that the criteria used by each research for describing the status of a state that faces a series of