Friday, December 27, 2019

Descartes vs Locke Essay - 1191 Words

Philosophy Essay (Descartes vs. Locke) Socrates once said, â€Å"As for me, all I know is that I know nothing.† Several philosophers contradicted Socrates’ outlook and believed that true knowledge was in fact attainable. This epistemological view however had several stances to it, as philosophers held different beliefs in regards to the derivation of true knowledge. Rationalists believed that the mind was the source of true knowledge, while in Empiricism, true knowledge derived from the senses. Rene Descartes, a rationalist, and John Locke, an empiricist, were prime examples of epistemologists who were seen to differentiate greatly within each of their philosophies. However, although Descartes and Locke’s ideas did contrast in that sense,†¦show more content†¦Primary qualities, however, are objective and include aspects such as an object’s height and weight (Paquette 212). Through this, Locke claimed that the existence of objects can be made certain due to the primary qualities it pos sesses (Paquette 212). Similar to Descartes, Locke believed in a sense of existence. However, in his view, the facts from the primary qualities proved the object exists because the object exists within itself (Paquette 212). Descartes and Locke also believed in some sense of the external world. Descartes claimed that there is in fact an external world, however it does not exist outside people’s minds (Paquette 206). Since Descartes was a rationalist, he believed that the only method to acquire true knowledge was solely through the mind (Moore 2002). Through the process of doubting existence, Descartes realized that the mind exists (Paquette 205). He went further into thought and concluded that since he, an imperfect person, has knowledge of perfection, something perfect has to exist to have put that knowledge in his mind. From there he claimed the existence of God (Newman 2010). Descartes then stated that a perfect god would not deceive his people, indicating that the material world exists (Newman 2010). Therefore through this thinking process, Descartes came to the conclusion that the real world is of the mind, and the external world is everything else that falls into the material worldShow MoreR elatedDescartes vs. Locke1175 Words   |  5 PagesPhilosophy Essay (Descartes vs. Locke) Socrates once said, â€Å"As for me, all I know is that I know nothing.† Several philosophers contradicted Socrates’ outlook and believed that true knowledge was in fact attainable. This epistemological view however had several stances to it, as philosophers held different beliefs in regards to the derivation of true knowledge. Rationalists believed that the mind was the source of true knowledge, while in Empiricism, true knowledge derived from the senses. ReneRead MoreEssay on Descartes vs Locke1257 Words   |  6 Pagesby experience, observation, and sensory perception. Renà © Descartes and John Locke, both seventeenth century philosophers, are often seen as two of the first early modern philosophers. Both Descartes and Locke attempt to find answers to the same questions in metaphysics and epistemology; among these: What is knowledge? Is there certainty in knowledge? What roles do the mind and body play in the acquisition of knowledge? Descartes and Locke do not provide the same answers to these questions. In thisRead MoreCartesian Rationalism Vs. Locke s Empiricism Essay1632 Words   |  7 PagesINTRODUCTION TO PHILOSOPHY Cartesian rationalism vs. Locke’s empiricism Rene Descartes was a rationalist who believed that knowledge of the world can be gained by the exercise of pure reason, while empiricist like Locke believed that knowledge of the world came through senses. Descartes from his meditations deduced from intuitive first principles the existence of self, of God, of the mind as a thinking substance and the extended body as a material substance whereas Locke, asserts that knowledge is acquired throughRead MoreEssay about Rationalism and Empiricism1486 Words   |  6 Pagesare most likely the two most famous and intriguing schools of philosophy. The two schools deal specifically with epistemology, or, the origin of knowledge. Although not completely opposite, they are often considered so, and are seen as the Jordan vs. Bird of the philosophy world. The origins of rationalism and empiricism can be traced back to the 17th century, when many important advancements were made in scientific fields such as astronomy and mechanics. These advance ments were most likelyRead MoreEssay about Child Development, Nature vs Nurture801 Words   |  4 Pagespsychology. The debate centers on the relative contributions ofgenetic inheritance  and  environmental factors  to human development. Some philosophers such as Plato and Descartes suggested that certain things are inborn, or that they simply occur naturally regardless of environmental influences. Other well-known thinkers such as John Locke believed in what is known as  tabula rasa, which suggests that the mind begins as a blank slate. According to this notion, everything that we are and all of our knowledgeRead MoreLocke’s Qualities vs. Berkeley’s Idealism754 Words   |  4 PagesLocke’s Qualities vs. Berkeley’s Idealism In the modern period of philosophy, around the 16th and 17th century, after the fall of Rome and the rise of the dark years, three major events had occurred. The first began with the scientific revolution, where many philosophers were becoming scientist, such as the philosopher of science Francis Bacon. The next event was the resurgence of skepticism, where one questions everything until they discover the truth. For instance, the philosopher famous forRead MoreNature Vs Nurture Essay882 Words   |  4 PagesNature vs Nurture The discussion about nature and nurture can be considered one of the oldest problems in psychology, the main question of which is: Are human traits present at birth or are they developing through experience? (Meyers, 2013). The natural side of the discussion asserts that the facial features and the way of their development strictly through DNA and genetics are transmitted by parents and grandparents. The nurture side of the debate argues that we are born with a clean list andRead MoreThe Principles Of Empiricism And The Spirit Behind It2295 Words   |  10 Pagesand the problems it gave rise to. Locke, John, An Essay concerning human understanding, Everyman, 1961: Book 1, of Innate ideas, Book 2, chapter 1, of ideas in general and their original, Berkeley, George, A treatise concerning the principles of human knowledge. Empiricists endorse the idea that we have no source of knowledge in S or for the concepts we use in S other than sense experience. This radical way of thinking began in the 17th century, with John Locke often regarded as the â€Å"father of BritishRead MoreCritically Compare How the Nature-Nurture Debate Has Been Addressed by Three Different Researchers or Schools or Thought in Psychology and/or Philosophy. at Least One of the Researchers/Schools Must Have Been Active Before the 20th Century.2285 Words   |  10 Pagesbehaviour is a result of life experiences that mould and change through one’s life such as how one is reared by their parents, what one is educated in school and one’s culture. The nature vs. nurture debate can be traced all the way to 13th century France and to a manuscript, Silence. 17th century philosopher Descartes was also a major influence on nature and nurture debate and argued that we do not come into the world completely void of any conceptions about it. On the other spectrum to his line ofRead MoreThe Republicn and a Brief History of Philosphy1763 Words   |  7 PagesSecondary to that there is truth, this idea is one that the main character struggles with the most throughout the film. As the film opens we are introduced to each character and their current spouse. All seems to be well other than the normal husband vs. in law rivalry, some may say that portrayal of life seems reasonable. What we find out as the film progresses is that the problems within these couples goes deeper than the traditional family feud. The main character Judah is having an affair with

Wednesday, December 18, 2019

Look at the Students to Determine Effective Teaching in...

Effective Teaching in Curriculum Reform What is the most important factor in curriculum reform movements? Is it standardized test scores or the qualification of being a good teacher? Nope. Although these factors are significant in promoting curriculum reform, however, they concentrate on either the higher students academic performance or the more rigorous requirements of teachers. In order to successfully satisfy the needs of students, it is better for the policymakers to put themselves into students shoes to measure the achievement of teaching by evaluating the students passion and progress in the teaching process rather than only test scores or teacher evaluations. In brief, refining the current assessment system to measure the†¦show more content†¦In fact, standardized test scores of the Pennsylvania System of School Assessment (PSSA) in Philadelphia had been successfully increasing steadily from 2002 to 2011, and its Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) had been maintained at least 40% from 2004 to 2011 under NCLB; however, the test scores started to drop in 2012 and the percentage of AYP declined from 42% in 2011 to 13% (The PEW Charitable Trust, 2013). According to the School District of Philadelphia (2013a), the percentage of students in scoring proficient or advanced continued to drop from 44.8% to 42.3% in reading and 50.9% to 46.9% in mathematics in 2013. These data show that the students’ academic performance was significantly lagging behind the goal of the reform, as approximately 90% in proficient or advanced in both reading and mathematics (2013b). As a result, the Pennsylvania Department of Education ([PDE], 2013a) decided to request a waiver from NCLB, and this request has been approved by the U.S. Department of Education in 2013, in order to provide better education to the children instead of chasing a goal that cannot be reached. Besides curriculum reform in the nation, PDE has attempted to implement two new evaluation systems for th e 2013-2014 school year. One of them is designed for the teachers in order to offer more effective teachers to the children.Show MoreRelatedOne Of The Greatest Ah-Ha Moments Of This Class Was When1404 Words   |  6 PagesOne of the greatest ah-ha moments of this class was when I put into words the correlation between a dancer mentored by their coach and a student working beside an effective teacher. Teaching is a work of art; a dance that is carefully choreographed between teacher and student. Both dancers are aware of the dance they want to perform, yet in order to truly experience the depth and magnitude of the dance, they must break down the steps into perfectly timed moves. The dancers strive to execute theirRead MoreHigh School Improvement Action Plan1072 Words   |  5 PagesPleasant School District and Melbourne School District consolidated to form one school. This has caused the two proud communities to come together as one which has caused some tension in recent years . Melbourne School District has approximately 900 students in Kindergarten through 12th grade. The school district has two elementary schools which feed into one high school which houses 7th-12th grades. Education provided by our public school has and will be very important to citizens in this area. Read MoreIntegrating Technology Into Education Essay838 Words   |  4 Pagesneed for reform in the school system to allow for more relevance in the classroom and an improvement in the educational process. Technology can be an excellent bridge to solve the problem of linking learning with students in their everyday life. Quick suggests, â€Å"too often lesson plans stifle students’ thinking rather that reflecting and deepening their ideas,† (Quick, 2003, pg 156). A way to incorporate lesson plans into today’s’ world is by integrating technology into our lessons. Students are surroundedRead MoreThe Problem Of Enhancement Of Education Essay1411 Words   |  6 Pagescultures and to find effective methods of a decrease in international hostility which can be applicable in a social environment in one hand and in other hand can help to improve students’ grades. Nowadays, researchers propose a theory of culturally focused pedagogy that might be cons idered in the reformation of teacher education. According to Lopez, (2016), â€Å"some researchers assert that culturally responsive teaching (CRT) improves academic achievement because it views students’ culture and languageRead MoreExploring Inquiry Based Spatial Sense Activities1236 Words   |  5 PagesExploring Inquiry-based Spatial Sense Activities with Students with Moderate to Severe Developmental Disabilities to Improve Number Sense Development In 1983, President Reagan’s administration released the publication, A Nation at Risk: The Imperative for Educational Reform. Since then, the American educational system has been undergoing an all-encompassing paradigm shift. Subsequently, our political leaders have championed two initiatives, No Child Left Behind and Common Core State Standards.Read MoreEducational Reform1289 Words   |  6 PagesEducational reform is a political process with a primary focus on making improvements to the current educational system. In 2001 education in the United States indicated there were multiple and significant achievement gaps across ethnicities, income levels, and geographies (Bush, 2001). These educational gaps placed a great strain on the United States (Economic Impact, 2009), with â€Å"too many of our neediest students...being left behind† In an attempt to amend the situation, the federal governmentRead MoreEffective Classroom Interaction And Pupil Management1422 Words   |  6 PagesAssignment 1 Effective lessons in IT Classroom interaction and pupil management Meeting individual differences Helping pupils learn Assessment The school curriculum and society What is an effective teacher? An effective teacher is a pupil manager that can aid personalised learning and classroom interaction. They are someone who meets individual’s needs and reduces teacher dependency. They understand the concepts of learning. The successful teacher cares, the successful teacher teaches well and theRead MoreHow to Teach during a Tragegy939 Words   |  4 PagesThere was nothing about leaving the school where I taught in New Orleans on Friday afternoon, August 27, 2005, that led me to believe I wouldn’t see most of my colleagues and students ever again. â€Å"Bye, see you Monday!† I called out to them. On the drive home, I heard weather reports about a hurricane in the Gulf of Mexico and thought to myself, â€Å"It probably won’t affect New Orleans.† By Saturday, forecasters said the possibility of the storm making landfall near New Orleans had increased, butRead MoreEducating Through A Multicultural Perspective Essay1644 Words   |  7 Pagesequal o pportunity for all persons. Therefore, as the United States continues to be immersed with individuals from various cultures, the educational system must consistently seek to assure that educational opportunities are equally distributed to our students. In order for this task to be accomplished, developing a well-defined illustration of what multicultural education is necessary. With the shifting cultural texture and demographics of the United States (Banks, 2006b; Irvine, 2003), redefining multiculturalRead MoreModel The Habits Of A Life Long Learner1377 Words   |  6 Pagesand often quit when the â€Å"me† category is not fulfilled (Buckingham, 2016). Model the habits of a life-long learner Just as teachers are expected to participate in professional development opportunities and continually update curriculum to meet the needs of their students, authentic administrators need to model the same behavior. This is especially true in modeling the learning and use of technology in the classroom. Kathleen Lommen (2016), author of the article, â€Å"Ethical Leadership in the Digital

Tuesday, December 10, 2019

Security Threats SAP Standards

Question: Describe about the Security Threats for SAP Standards. Answer: Critical Analysis of SAP System Security Parameters SAP stands for Systems, Applications and Products in a data processing system. SAP is basically used for handling accounts related activities and it is an ERP software solution. SAP system is commonly used in business organizations. SAP security system is considered a secure solution and security parameters of this system make it secure and powerful as compare to other ERP solutions. Transaction Code of SAP and Its Purpose Transaction code consists of numbers, letters and both and this code is entered into command field. Transaction code is used in SAP software to go to any task in SAP application quickly. Instead of using menu to start a task, by using transaction code, we can start function in single step. This is main advantage of SAPs transaction code. Transaction code is also known T-Code. Purpose of Transaction Code in R/3 Systems When transaction code is used in SAP R/3 system by its users then it is actually a query that is performed in SQL from applications level to database level. This code transfers data from relational database to frond end system. The conversion of data is held from one consistent state to another state. Besides this, input data into transaction gets updated in database. Due to these reasons transaction code is used in R/3 Systems. There are many transaction codes available in SAP security system and these are used for different purposes. SM19 and SM20 are two important SAP transactions codes and following are its purposes and uses: (Saponlinetutorials.com, 2016) Purpose and Usage of SM19: In SAP security system, SM19 is used as Security Audit Configuration and its purpose to record information about security of system such as modifications of user master records and information about unsuccessful logon attempts. This tool of keeping log is basically made for auditors who want to take a detail look that what is happening in SAP system. With the help of SM19 transaction code, we can activate an audit log that can help to keep records of activities that are required for audit. The security audit configuration provides long-term data access. Following information is record into Security Audit Log: Information about logon attempts both successful and unsuccessful. Both successful and unsuccessful logon attempts those are related to RFC. RFC calls to function modules. Changes to master records of users. Log of both successful and unsuccessful transaction start. Modifications regarding audit configurations. Purposes and Uses of SM20: The purpose of SM20 Transaction code of SAP is to analysis of security audit log and it is available in R/3 Systems. Like other transaction codes of SAP, this code is used through command line. SM20 is used to see Audit log and by activating this audit log, those activities can be considered those are relevant for auditing. The recorded information of audit log report can be accessed for further evaluation. Audit log can be scanned for period of time, transaction of user and report and for some other purposes. These purposes of SM19 and SM20 transactions codes are to under-take a security audit of SAP R/3 system. (Saphub.com, 2016) How User Master Record in SAP plays an Important Role User master record in SAP plays an important role in a way that it helps to assign the essential authorizations to users so that they can execute various transactions into SAP systems. User Master Record is basically used for administrative and authorization management. As we know that a SAP user contains user id with transaction authorization and all details of users can be monitored by SAP administrators. Most important information about users records such as login session, user rights, passwords and profile etc. are contained into User Master Record in SAP. If we talk about that how user master record plays an important role in ensuring assignment of appropriate rights, activity groups and authorizations of individual users, then we can say that without User Master Record, user unable to log onto SAP system. It means an authorized user must have a record in User Master Record. Besides this, it also allows access to functions and objects in it with some restrictions of authorized u sers. This feature of User Master Record reduces the risk of hacking of data. Information about corresponding user is also stored into user master record for authorization purpose. Any changes those are done in master records will be effected when user will login next time in system. These changes will not take place in current logged section. In this way, User Master Record is considered helpful for maintaining security and privacy of users rights, records and their authorization. (Tcodesearch.com, 2016) Basically the authorization process of SAP protects transactions, programs and services of SAP systems from attackers or unauthorized users. To access any information, objects and to execute SAP transactions, corresponding authorization is required and this is managed by User Master Record of SAP system. This authorization of users is done under authorized process of SAP system. The authorization system of SAP allows flexibility for organizing and authorizing the maintenance of master records and roles. The distribution and maintenance of user master records and authorization among multiple administrators is limited with areas of responsibilities. This is done to achieve maximum system security. In this way, authorization process of SAP is implemented through User Master Record. Due to these reasons, user master record is considered to be important for maintaining security and privacy of SAP users. Other essential thing about user master data is its assignment of one or more roles to the user. This master record in SAP maintains authorization of users for long time. This feature of security makes SAP a more secure system for handling finance and accounts activities in a business organization. (Scribd, 2016) Two Controls to secure SAP Account from misuse As we know that SAP user account is not possible to delete, but its security and privacy is necessary to maintain. Therefore, there are some controls that use to secure SAP user accounts. Alignment of SAP Configuration Settings and Organizational Policies When SAP is used by employees of an organization, then it is responsibility of organization that security policy should specify mandatory requirement of software such as minimum length of password, strength of password and change of password after a particular time period. It is responsibility of security administrator to check that all applicants must follow these rules. All security parameters must be followed by users. Password protection will help to get prevention from misuse of SAP user account that cannot be delete. The commonly used security parameters are login/passwords_expriation_time(), login_min_password_lng() and others. (STechies, 2016) Access to Sensitive Functions Other way to protect SAP account from misuse is the way to access sensitive functions. Sensitive functions of SAP are basically used to access sensitive information from individuals account. The main activities those are performed by sensitive SAP functions are access to creation and maintenance of users roles and accounts, access to run commands of operating system and access to change and create programs and debugging of programs is also done by sensitive functions of SAP. These functions must be used properly by users and system administrators. Therefore, by implementing these security controls, it will become easy to prevent user account from its misusage. Both above discussed controls are concerned with secure access of sensitive information and usage of SAP configuration with proper alignment of policies. In this way, if user cannot delete SAP account then still they can make security of SAP system easily from unauthorized attacks. (ComputerWeekly, 2016) Ethical Behavior for an Information Security Professional This segment of report is related to ethical behavior for an information security professional. Ethics of business are necessary to follow by every business organization where information security systems are used. Here we have case studies to discuss about ethical behavioral for an information security professional. After discussing about case study of Company X and Company Y and according to this both companies can use records of each other clients. Here Faisal is programmer of Company Z and task of developing a software is assigned to him and he handles access and retrieval of records from database system of every company. Faisal takes normal test on software developed and he got a serious security hole in database system of company Y and due to this hole, it is easy for hackers to get confidential information from database. If this hole will not be removed then it can put bad impact over Company Xs database system. Faisal reported to manager of company about this but he said it i s not our problem, our system should work properly. This is a wrong answer that is provided by manager. If we talk about key ethical concerns that raised in this case study then major concern is that manager is being selfish regarding security of his companys system and he is not careful about database security of other company. This is against law of business. According to ACS code, a business organization does not have right to harm other company for its benefits as manager of Company Y is doing to Company X. The main values of ACS i.e. Australian Code of Ethics are listed as below: The primacy of public interests Increment in Quality of Life Honesty Competence Professional Development Professionalism (Barton, 1992) In above listed values of Australian Code of Ethics, Competence and Professional Development are specific values for practice of professional practice that will help to deal with key ethical concerns raised by Faisal in distributed management system of records. Here competence of ACS is related to that a organization will work completely and diligently for its stakeholders or investors. On other side, professional development is related to that an organization will enhance integrity of the ACS and all members of company are respected equally. Besides this, honesty can also be considered a main value for professional practice for Company X and Company Y and according to this, Company Y must be cleared about skills, knowledge, products and services and any kind of issue among one of these factors should be clearly defined to other members. Therefore, on the behalf of these values of ACS, Company Y must focus on security hole that is found by Faisal who is software developer and must di scuss this problem with Company X. Nothing should be hidden between both companies. Only then a better business can be run between both companies, otherwise heavy loss can occur. Every business organization must follow this ACS code. In given case of security hole, now Company Y should allow Faisal to implement its solution that can protect databases of both companies from various vulnerabilities that can occur due to this security issue. If both companies are connected with each other and can share their clients information then maintenance of security is also responsibility of both companies. Carol Fraudulent Member of ACS Branch As per the given case study, Carol has done embezzlement in branchs reserves amount $5000 and also her fake signatures are found on cheques. She has done this for medical treatment of her child and she was inevitably found then she returned the money but her membership in ACS is terminated. In next segment we will discuss that, how other members of ACS would treat her, who are still in team at her job. (Help.sap.com, 2016) Ethical Concerns raised by Carols Action Everything that is done by Carol was not right ethics of business, whether she did it for medical treatment of her child or for anything else. But this action of Carol for embezzlement is against values of code ethics such as honesty and professionalism. Therefore, it is possible that her other team members may not behave well with her due to this fraud. Those people may not trust further on Carol for official works. This is actually related to reputation of Carol and this action of embezzlement puts bad influence of her reputation. All team members who are working under guidance of Carol will also influence fr5om this act and may not consider her as their guide. These kind of ethical concerns may cause problem for Carol in future regarding her job. As per given scenario of Carol, we can say that the specific values of ACS code of professional practice that can help to deal with key ethical concerns are Honesty and Professionalism. By doing fraud in business, Carol has tried to make fool ACS and lost their trust. The reason that is provided for this embezzlement may not be considered right because Carol can ask for financial help to her company for medical treatment of her child. But she did not do this and violate code of business ethics. Here the value of honesty is that Carol must be honest for her work and duty towards her company and ACS. She has not followed this. On other side, in case of professionalism, Carol must enhance the integrity of ACS and respect of its members. Therefore, we can say that Carol has done ethically wrong to Australian code of ethics for business. So for future, it is responsibility of Carol to remain honest and should work with professionalism. Any kind of fraud may cause problem for her career op portunities. (Help.sap.com, 2016) This is another important segment of this report and here we will discuss about an essential topic of Advanced Persistent Attack. 3. Advanced Persistence Attack It is a popular network attack and in this attack an unauthorized persons try to gain access over network to get confidential information of users. These attackers remain undetected for long period of time. The purpose of this attack is to steal data rather than to cause damage to network. Steps of Advanced Persistence Attack Advanced Persistence Attack is implemented by attackers in form of following steps: Reconnaissance This is first step of Advanced Persistence attack and in this step, attackers try to leverage a variety of factors for understanding their target. Here hackers try to use information stored from websites of company. Besides this, social media websites are also used to collect information about individuals. Incursion After collecting information about an individual, hackers deliver targeted malware to vulnerable systems and people. (Bruce, R, 2016) Discovery In this step of Advanced Persistence Attack, hackers map defense of organization from inside, create plan for battle and multiple attack channels are deployed. Capture In this step of attack, unprotected systems are accessed by hackers and data is captured over an extended period of time. Here malware is also installed for stealing data and for disrupting operations. Exfiltration At this stage of attack, collected information is sent back to team of attackers for analysis and this information can be used further for exploitation and fraud. By following these steps, Advanced Persistence Attack is implemented. Resources and Activities used by Hackers in Advanced Persistence Attack To implement any attack, hackers need to use some resources. In this persistence attack, hackers need access of network, vulnerable programming scripts that can spread virus into system and other security violation tools. There are some essential activities that are performed by hackers while implementing this attack and from those activities we can know that Advanced Persistence Attack is implemented. Those activities are listed as below: Increment in Elevated log-ons late at night Searching for Widespread Trojan Virus by Hackers Unexpected flow of Information If these things are happening into your system then we can say that it is Advanced Persistence Attack. Consequences of Advanced Persistence Attack for Organization As we have discussed above that how this persistence attack is conducted by hackers and if an organization is suffering with this attack then it will have following consequences: Through this attack hackers can access information from system without any damage to network. Malware attack is implemented here which is difficult to detect for long period. Before implementation of this attack, hackers try to collect information about targeted individual and then that information is used for attack on his/her system. These are some consequences of Advanced Persistence Attack and not only information but heavy loss of system cost and resources is also faced by business organizations. Therefore, it is necessary for developers to find out advanced solutions to get rid of this problem. (Itbusinessedge.com, 2016) References Saponlinetutorials.com. (2016). Definition of SAP ERP Systems. [online] Available at: https://www.saponlinetutorials.com/what-is-sap-erp-system-definition/ [Accessed 6 Sep. 2016]. Tcodesearch.com. (2016). SAP sm19 tcodes (Transaction Codes). [online] Available at: https://www.tcodesearch.com/tcodes/search?q=sm19 [Accessed 6 Sep. 2016]. Saphub.com. (2016). What is SAP transaction code? - SAPHub. [online] Available at: https://www.saphub.com/abap-tutorial/what-is-sap-transaction-code/ [Accessed 6 Sep. 2016]. Help.sap.com. (2016). The Security Audit Log - Auditing and Logging - SAP Library. [online] Available at: https://help.sap.com/saphelp_nw70ehp2/helpdata/en/c7/69bcb7f36611d3a6510000e835363f/content.htm [Accessed 6 Sep. 2016]. STechies. (2016). Transaction code SM 20.. [online] Available at: https://www.stechies.com/transaction-code-sm-20/ [Accessed 6 Sep. 2016]. Scribd. (2016). SAP Authorization Concept. [online] Available at: https://www.scribd.com/document/27882203/SAP-Authorization-Concept [Accessed 6 Sep. 2016]. Help.sap.com. (2016). AS ABAP Authorization Concept - User and Role Administration of AS ABAP - SAP Library. [online] Available at: https://help.sap.com/erp_fao_addon10/helpdata/en/52/671285439b11d1896f0000e8322d00/content.htm [Accessed 6 Sep. 2016]. ComputerWeekly. (2016). SAP security tutorial: Top 10 SAP security implementation steps. [online] Available at: https://www.computerweekly.com/tip/SAP-security-tutorial-Top-10-SAP-security-implementation-steps [Accessed 6 Sep. 2016]. Code of ethics. (1992). Barton, A.C.T.: The Institution. Bruce, R. (2016). 5 Stages of an Advanced Persistent Threat Attack on Your Network. [online] Whymeridian.com. Available at: https://www.whymeridian.com/blog/bid/399610/5-Stages-of-an-Advanced-Persistent-Threat-Attack-on-Your-Network [Accessed 6 Sep. 2016]. Itbusinessedge.com. (2016). The Impact of Advanced Persistent Threats to Enterprises. [online] Available at: https://www.itbusinessedge.com/slideshows/the-impact-of-advanced-persistent-threats-to-enterprises-07.html [Accessed 6 Sep. 2016].

Tuesday, December 3, 2019

Thank You, M’am Essay Essay Example

Thank You, M’am Essay Paper Indirect word picture is when the writer makes the reader utilize his ain judgement to make up ones mind what a character is like. In â€Å"Thank You. M’am† . by Langston Hughes. Mrs Jones was described as a big black adult females with a big bag. She was decoded as really austere by keeping him tightly and stating â€Å"Pick up my pocketbook† ( Hughes 86 ) . Besides an illustration from the short narrative was when â€Å"Mrs Jones stopped. jerked him around in forepart of her. set a half Nelson about his cervix. and continued to drag him up the street† ( Hughes 86 ) . In â€Å"Thank You. M’am† . by Langston Hughes. the writer uses indirect word picture to demo Mrs Jones’ attitude and personality in the short narrative. Mrs Jones visual aspect and personality is revealed by utilizing indirect word picture. For illustration. â€Å"She was a big adult females with a big bag that had everything in it but a cock and nails† ( Hughes 86 ) . This quotation mark describes the visual aspect of Mrs Jones by stating she was a big adult females. We will write a custom essay sample on Thank You, M’am Essay specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Thank You, M’am Essay specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Thank You, M’am Essay specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer This means that she was a really prepared and was really organized. â€Å"Now here. take this 10 dollars and purchase yourself some bluish suede shoes† ( Hughes 86 ) . This shows that she is really sort hearted even thou she appeared mean. She really had trust in him non to steal anything and so gave him 10 dollars. about like a wages. By utilizing indirect word picture. you are able to happen Mrs Jones visual aspect and personality in the narrative without the writer straight stating you!

Wednesday, November 27, 2019

3333750-247650 Essays - 20th Century In The United States, Politics

3333750-247650 Essays - 20th Century In The United States, Politics 3333750-247650 "I Have a Dream" is a public speech delivered by American civil rights activist Martin Luther King Jr. during the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom on August 28, 1963, in which he calls for an end to racism in the United States and called for civil and economic rights. Delivered to over 250,000 civil rights supporters from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. , the speech was a defining moment of the American Civil Rights Movement . He was assassinated in 1968. 00 "I Have a Dream" is a public speech delivered by American civil rights activist Martin Luther King Jr. during the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom on August 28, 1963, in which he calls for an end to racism in the United States and called for civil and economic rights. Delivered to over 250,000 civil rights supporters from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. , the speech was a defining moment of the American Civil Rights Movement . He was assassinated in 1968. 1 I am happy to join with you today in what will go down in history as the greatest demonstration for freedom in the history of our nation. Five score years ago, a great American , in whose 5 symbolic shadow we stand today, signed the Emancipation Proclamation . This momentous decree came as a great beacon light of hope to millions of Negro slaves who had been seared in the flames of withering injustice. It came as a joyous daybreak to end the long night of their captivity. 10 But one hundred years later, the Negro still is not free. One hundred years later, the life of the Negro is still sadly crippled by the manacles of segregation and the chains of discrimination. One hundred years later, the Negro lives on a lonely island of poverty in the midst of a vast ocean of material prosperity. One hundred years later, the Negro is still languished in the corners of American society and finds himself an exile in his own land. And so we've come here today to dramatize a shameful condition. 15 In a sense we've come to our nation's capital to cash a check. When the architects of our republic wrote the magnificent words of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence , they were signing a promissory note to which every American was to fall heir. This note was a promise that all men, yes, black men as well as white men, would be guaranteed the "unalienable Rights" of "Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness." It is obvious today that America has defaulted on this promissory note, insofar as her citizens of color are concerned. 20 Instead of honoring this sacred obligation, America has given the Negro people a bad check, a check which has come back marked "insufficient funds." But we refuse to believe that the bank of justice is bankrupt. We refuse to believe that there are insufficient funds in the great vaults of opportunity of this nation. And so, we've come to cash this check, a check that will give us upon demand the riches of freedom and the security of justice. We have also come to this hallowed spot to remind America of the fierce urgency of Now. This is no time to engage in the luxury of cooling off or to take the tranquilizing drug of gradualism. 25 Now is the time to make real the promises of democracy. Now is the time to rise from the dark and desolate valley of segregation to the sunlit path of racial justice. Now is the time to lift our nation from the quick sands of racial injustice to the solid rock of brotherhood. Now is the time to make justice a reality for all of God's children. It would be fatal for the nation to overlook the urgency of the moment. This sweltering summer of the Negro's legitimate discontent will not pass until there is an invigorating autumn of freedom and equality. Nineteen sixty-three is not an end, but a 30 beginning. And those who hope that the Negro needed to blow off steam and will now be

Saturday, November 23, 2019

newjackBelly of the beast essays

newjackBelly of the beast essays In The Belly Of The Beast by Jack Henry Abbott and Newjack by Ted Conover Jack Henry Abbott's book, In The Belly Of The Beast is as autobiographical account of the authors lifelong experiences in penal institutions while serving time for numerous petty crimes as a child to murder in later years. He offers a wide array of attacks on various American institutions in society while trying to defend his position as victim of societys pitfalls. The self-educated author encapsulates the reader by presenting stories, through letters, of the horrific reality of prison life. Although considered psychopathic, his rendition lends an enormous amount of insight and allows us to feel a need to reform a prison system that may not deserve the name of correctional facility. The book offers everything from tormenting accounts of his time in "the Hole" to foundations of political philosophies of Kant and Marx. In a time when crime literature was surging, it is somewhat difficult to determine the authors initial intent to engage his readers in somewhat of a public awareness notice. After all, his life of crime began while a teen and his adult rendition of a perfect knife stabbing does not lend acceptance to being seen as an American outlaw saint. Originally a protg of Norman Mailer, Abbotts letters were seen as being written by the elite of the prison population with an intellectual vision of a diseased society. He gives the reader an analysis how prison is designed to gut and corrupt the timid, and break or brutalized the weak. Abbott makes claim that his loss of constitutional rights in a society unjust led him to surrender to an unspoken prison constitution for the rest of his life. While Jack Henry Abbott can submit to being an authority on the reality of incarceration, we have a desire to review an opposition account on what it is like to be on the other side of the ...

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Strategic Management in Singapore Airlines Research Paper

Strategic Management in Singapore Airlines - Research Paper Example This research report introduces airline industry in general and Singapore Airline in specific. It includes a brief history of the company. However, the focus is on the mission and vision of the company and on the profile of Board of Directors, which run the strategic management of the company. Current marketing strategy of the company is also under discussion. Introduction Air travel is an essential requirement of today’s global world. It provides its users with an easy, fast, and comfortable mode of travel. However, with the economic and social development of the world resulting in almost every developed country launching its international airline, air travel has become an option with considerably large number of choices. Every airline is competing with other airlines to enlarge their customer base on bases of airfare, comfort, services, and travel route. In this competitive environment, the name of â€Å"Singapore Airline† holds a lot of worth. The airline from its la unch until today has grasped a huge share of international air travelers due to its excellent and expert services. The airline with its slogan â€Å"a great way to travel† works hard to provide its customers with the promised experience of excellence. The company describes itself as â€Å"Singapore Airlines has evolved into one of the most respected travel brands around the world. We have one of the world's youngest fleet in the air, a network spanning five continents, and the Singapore Girl is our symbol of quality customer care and service. Customers, investors, partners, and staff — everyone expect excellence of us† (Singapore Airline, 2012). History On 28 January 1972, the Singapore government founded Singapore airline (SIA). It was incorporated as a limited liability public company, completely owned by the Singapore government (Singapore Investor Association, 2006). â€Å"The history of the company dates back to 1947 with the initiation of a scheduled serv ice of Malayan Airways Ltd between Singapore and Kuala Lumpur† (Singapore Airlines, 2012). With the addition of international services and formation of â€Å"Federation of Malaysia in 1963,† the airline acquired the new name of â€Å"Malaysian Airways Ltd† (Singapore Airlines, 2012). Government of Malaysia and Singapore in 1966 acquired joint control of the airline and renamed it to â€Å"Malaysia- Singapore Airline Ltd† (Securities Investor Association, 2006). However, MSA in 1971 was restructured in to two entities: Malaysia Airline System Bhd and SIA (Singapore Airlines, 2012). Mission Singapore airlines describe its mission through its mission statement. The mission statement clearly identifies the main objectives of the company. The statement is as follows: â€Å"Singapore Airlines is a global company dedicated to providing air transportation services of the highest quality and to maximizing returns for the benefits of its shareholders and employeesà ¢â‚¬  (Singapore Airline, 2012) Vision The company considers itself a citizen of the world and aims to excel not only as an excellent company but also as an excellent and responsible citizen of the world. It aims to fulfill this mission, which it believes to be actually its responsibility by enhancing the lives of the people they come in contact with. This is the reason that the company has made numerous commitments to the art, education, communities and health and welfare of their countries’ citizens and of those countries it flies to. It also feels a strong sense of responsibility towards the environment, and so holds a strong commitment towards environment preservation for the future generation (Singapore Invest

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Natural rights in John Lockes, the second treatise on government Essay

Natural rights in John Lockes, the second treatise on government - Essay Example As such, everyone is entitled to enforce natural law in order to uphold these rights. Secondly, he purports that as an individual ventures into societal relationship with others, he trades what goods he possesses for goods he does not, and as such forms a reason to formulate methods to facilitate the trade of goods, such as the use of money, since money is non-perishable in contrast with food. As such, when money is injected into the system, individuals may pertain to give up their natural rights in order to be governed by a select group of people who exist solely to protect their welfare and property. These representatives work by introducing a system of laws and rules that expand over the societies they govern, and are in charge of enforcing them. However, they must only adhere to the interests of the societies at large, and hence, are at the complete disposal of the individuals and are subject to replacement at the people’s discretion. Locke thus emphasizes a Laissez Faire style of government which respects tolerance and moral values announced by natural rights than a strict measure of communism or monarchy. His political ideology promotes distinct sense of social awareness and respect by all of natural law. Argument against John Locke’s theories Locke’s focus on individual precedence over societal matters suggests two things. The first pertains to the regulation of civil society in that the people realize a need for preservation of their material belongings such as house and property, a measure they cannot administer individually by way of natural right as that might render their judgement partial and unjust. As such, they resort to giving up their natural rights so a body of executives can adjudicate on their behalf. This is because if individuals resorted to upholding their natural rights themselves against those who wronged them, only the strongest would survive. By letting an executive handle the adjudication for them, the judgement is deemed impartial. Of course, in conjunction with this right, Locke states that every child is born free, independent and pure, â€Å"a subject of no country or government† (Locke 118). However, in order to be respectful of other’s rights he must first attain majority and then make an informed decision as to which community he must partake in, for being part of one would mean his giving up of some natural rights in order to follow the customs of the community. Thus, before he attains that majority, the child is essentially without affiliation, under the care of his father, and rendered â€Å"stateless in the very state he was born† (Klausen 763). This gives rise to patriarchy which defines the child’s governing system resulting from tacit consent. Moreover, Locke suggests that tacit consent is binding on the individual as it forms part of his contract within the community he is born, but as the child grows up into majority, he is allowed to leave the p atriarchy to which he has adhered and choose a community to consensually give up his natural rights to. This effectively declares tacit consent as NOT binding. Moreover, Locke’s policy of independence and attainment of natural liberty is only possible if there is â€Å"

Sunday, November 17, 2019

Study Guide for Green Lab Book Exam Essay Example for Free

Study Guide for Green Lab Book Exam Essay This study guide does not cover all of the material on your test. This review is meant to be a starting point to help you remember the major ideas that we covered in class. Be sure to also review the information in your notebook, lab book, and returned quizzes and tests. 1. What is ecology? The scientific study of how living things interact with each other and their environment. 2. What are the ABCs of Ecology? Abiotic, Biotic, and Cycles 3. What are the characteristics and needs of living things? Needs: Water, food, sunlight, shelter Characteristics: movement, respiration, nutrition, irritability, growth, excretion, reproduction, death 4. Arrange the following from smallest to largest: population, biome, organism, community, ecosystem. Organism, population, community, ecosystem, and biome. Ecosystems: 1. Define the following: a. niche- the role of an organism in an ecosystem. b. decomposer- an organism that feeds on and breaks down dead plant or animal matter. c. producer- an organism that captures energy from sunlight and transforms it into chemical energy cccccccc cthat’s stored in energy-rich carbon compounds. Producers are a source of food for other organisms. d. consumer- a living thing that gets its energy by eating other living things in a food chain. e. limiting factor- a factor or condition that prevents the continuing growth of a pop. in an ecosystem 2. What do the arrows in food chains or webs mean? Eaten by, gives energy to 3. The level of the energy pyramid with the most energy contains what type of organisms? How much energy is transferred each time you move up a level? The level that has most energy are the producers which are plants. 10% of the energy is transferred each time NJyou move up a level. 4. What is . . . a qualitative observation, a quantitative observation, and an inference? Qualitative- describing the appearance of something using words. Quality/look Quantitative- using numbers and words to describe something. Quantity/number Inference- a logical conclusion drawn from the available evidence and prior knowledge or observations. 5. Symbiosis – Define each term and give an example a) mutualism- an interaction between two species in which both benefit. (Flowers and bees) b) parasitism- a relationship between two species in which one species is harmed while the other benefits. Xxxxx(Tapeworms and host) c) commensalism- an interaction between two species in which one species benefits without harming the dffffffother. (Moss and trees) 6. Describe the process of succession. Primary: 1. Retreating glaciers expose bare rock where nothing lives. 2. Lichens appear and when they die, particles break down the rock and soil is made. 3. After a lot of years, there is a lot of soil. Other organisms appear like moss and insects. 4. When more soil is made, there are ferns, flowers, shrubs, and small trees 5. After many years there is enough soil to support a forest. Secondary: 1. A disturbance occurs in an area and the organisms no longer live there. Soon though, crabgrass grows. 2. Then more weeds begin to grow. 3. After about ten years, pine trees grow and after 100 years, a forest may form. 4. Pines may be replaces by hardwoods. Photosynthesis and Respiration: 1. What is photosynthesis? Where does it happen? In what type of organisms? When does it happen? Photosynthesis is the process by which green  plants and other producers use simple compounds and energy ddfrom light to make sugar, and energy-rich compound in the leaf of the plant. It happens during the day. 2. What is the formula for photosynthesis? Underline the reactants and circle the products. 6CO2 + 6H2O + SUN ENERGY C6H12O6 + 6O2 3. How do they enter and leave the plant? CO2: leavesstomaspongy layerpalisadechloroplastchlorophyll H2O: rootsstemleavesxylempalisadechloroplastchlorophyll 4. What is respiration? Where does it happen? In what type of organisms? When does it happen? Cellular Respiration is a process in which cells use oxygen to release energy stored in sugars. Takes place in the mitochondria. It happens all the time. 5. What is the formula for respiration? Underline the reactants and circle the products. C6H12O6 + 6O2 ATP + 6CO2 + 6H2O Biomes: 1. List the major characteristics of the six land biomes and 2 water biomes. In which biome do we live? We live in the Temperate Deciduous Forest. a. Desert- A region so arid because of little rainfall that it supports only sparse and widely spaced vegetation.| e. Taiga- A type of forest characterized by cone-bearing, needled- leaf trees. It is also known as Evergreen Forest.| b. Freshwater- Defined as having a low salt concentration usually less than 1%. Plants and animals in freshwater regions are adjusted to the low salt content and would not be able to survive in areas of high salt concentration.| f. Temperature Deciduous Forest- Consists of trees that lose their leaves every year. Examples include oak, maple, beech, and elm. Has all four seasons. Plants become dormant in the winter.| c. Grassland- Characterized as lands dominated by grasses rather than large shrubs or trees.| g. Tropical Rainforest- Contains at least one-half of the worlds species of plants and animals and are dominated by tall, broad-leaved trees. Tropical rainforests are wet and hot year-round and have nutrient poor soil. Found @ the equator.| d. Marine- A biome consisting of waters containing 3.5% salt on average; includes the oceans and covers more than 70% of the Earths surface; divided  into benthic and pelagic zones.| h. Tundra- A vast, flat, treeless Arctic region of Europe, Asia, and North America in which the subsoil is permanently frozen.| Chesapeake Bay/Watershed: 1. Which 6 states are part of the Chesapeake Bay Watershed? 2743 km2 Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, Pennsylvania, and New York. 2. Define the following: a. tributary- a stream or other body of water, surface or underground, which intermittently contributes its aaaaaaaaawater in small quantities to another larger stream or body of water. b. estuary- the lower end of a river where it meets the ocean and freshwater and saltwater mix. c. watershed- an area or region drained by a river, river system, or other body of water. 3. What are the 2 critical roles oysters play in the Chesapeake Bay ecosystem? Oysters are filter feeders, consuming phytoplankton and improving water quality while filtering the water for food. As generations of oysters settle on top of each other and grow they form reefs that provide structured habitat for many fish species and crabs. Oysters also improve dissolved oxygen. 4. What are the roles of SAV? They provide underwater life with food and habitat, absorb nutrients, trap sediment, reduce erosion, and add oxygen to the water. They are an excellent measure of the Bay’s overall condition because their health is closely linked with the Bay’s health. 5. What are the roles of wetlands? Wetlands are transitional areas between land and water. While some wetlands are noticeably wet, others do not always have visible water. An area is defined as a wetland based on its soils and vegetation. All wetlands are dominated by hydrophytes, which are plants that are adapted for life in wet soils. Wetlands also have hydric soils, which are soils that are periodically saturated or flooded. Water Quality Factors: 1. What can affect the temperature of water? The shallowness of the water, the air, and the shade. 2. Draw a simple pH scale. What is neutral? _7_ the most basic? _14_the most acidic? _1_ Basic 3. Why is dissolved oxygen needed in water? How does the oxygen get into the water? Just as we need air to breathe, aquatic organisms need dissolved oxygen to respire. It is necessary for the survival of fish, invertebrates, bacteria, and underwater plants. DO is also needed for the decomposition of organic matter. There are three ways that oxygen gets dissolved into water. One is by diffusion, when oxygen diffuses into the water directly from the air above it. Next is aeration, this can be cased by wave action of water spilling over rocks and waterfalls or you aerator. And the third is by waste products of plants. Aquatic plants produce oxygen as a waste product of photosynthesis and this dissolves into the water. 4. What causes the uncontrolled growth of green algae in the Bay? What is the name for this process? Nitrites act as fertilizer for aquatic plants such as algae and contribute to the sequence of events called eutrophication. An excess of nitrates causes algae to grow and cover the entire surface of the water. The plants that grow underwater do not get enough sunlight so they die and begin to decompose. Eventually the algae will die and be decomposed by bacteria in the water. Decomposition and the lack of green plants resultfin a decreased amount of oxygen in the water. Without enough oxygen, fish and other organisms will die.

Friday, November 15, 2019

Thermal Energy Conversion Essay -- physics energy power renewable powe

The demand for an efficient renewable energy source is a driving force in ongoing research. Thermal energy conversion is one such potential source that is under constant investigation and has endless avenues of possibility. The two requirements of energy production are efficiency and renewability. Many possibilities exist for energy production including: Fossil Fuels (natural gas, oil, coal, oilshale), nuclear, solar, wind, geothermal, biomass and wastes, & hydroelectric. Efficiency of the use of these resource are directly related to the location and the demand in that location. For example Hawaii is a prime candidate for the use of the oceans mechanical wave action, the thermal gradient of the ocean, wind, and biomass from the high levels of plant growth. The demand for another energy source comes from Hawaii's dependence on oil that has to be transported there. Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion(OTEC) is the utilization of the energy stored in the world's oceans by the thermal gradient created. The thermal gradient is the difference of the surface temperature of the ocean that is heated via solar energy and the water at depths of significantly colder temperatures. This thermal gradient is the energy source that is converted to usable energy by OTEC plants. The idea for using the oceans thermal energy is credited to several visionaries including Jacques D'Arsonval, a French Engineer, in 1881. The temperature difference needed for an OTEC plant is about 36 deg F (20 deg C). Temperature differences of this amount are readily available in many locations in the world. The areas depicted in red on the above map produce the best areas for OTEC sites due to the stablility of warm weather throughout t... ...ntially be exploited for one of the municipalities that stand beside the pipeline? Arctic North Slope Borough - 179.2 mi. Fairbanks North Star Borough - 89.1 mi. City of Delta Junction - 5.5 mi. City of Valdez - 20.8 mi. Could the pipeline at least help to power one of the ten pump stations located along its winding path? It is not likely that the heat exchange in either of the two above systems would produce a sufficient enough amount of energy to produce electricity. The temperature of the oil as it is extracted is approximately 160 Â ° F and the flow temperature approximately 140 Â ° F. These temperatures need to be maintained for the oil to remain in a viscous enough state to be transport with some amount of efficiency. This inquiry into the potential use of excess heat being produced as a by-product does however open the door to other possibilities.

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

Development of Tourism in Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka is an island in the Indian Ocean, also often called the â€Å"The Pearl of the Indian Ocean†. Tourism in Sri Lanka has had its ups and downs. Such things like the civil war is now over, but for the past thirty years that the war was ongoing, a lot of people feared to travel to Sri Lanka and the devastating 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami . But despite all these events, the tourism in Sri Lanka is still one of the major profit generating industries. Sri Lanka may be a small island, but it has a lot to offer. From its beautiful beaches, to their exotic foods and diverse cultural heritage.The tropical weather in Sri Lanka is all year round except for the monsoon season which usually ranges from mid-year to the end of the year. Foreigners visit often to be in the warm weather. Sri Lanka has so many beautiful beaches that are still untouched and not commercialized. Over half a million tourists came to Sri Lanka in 2006. Other up and coming tourist attractions are precious stone mining in Ratnapura, â€Å"The Gem City† as it is known and also ecotourism. Travelers today like the idea of travelling while also doing their part to help preserve the environment.Buddhism has the biggest influence in molding Sri Lanka’s diverse cultural heritage and also a big factor in drawing in the crowds to Sri Lanka. From temples, relics, religious landmarks and Ayurveda. Sri Lanka has started its campaign on ecotourism and spa-like ayurvedic treatments, banking on the diverse flora and fauna found there. No matter what natural disaster or civil war comes upon Sri Lanka, its beauty and purity have made its mark on the world. There is no doubt that Sri Lankan tourism today is expected to reap the benefits after thirty years of struggle and the tragic tsunami, with hope and bright prospects on the horizon.

Sunday, November 10, 2019

Illustrate and Critically Discuss the Representation of Gay People in Television Sitcoms or Soap Opera.

Illustrate and critically discuss the representation of gay people in television sitcoms or soap opera. As the issue of representation is central to this essay, it is important to note that there have been problems with identifying a definitive meaning of ‘representation’. Several theorists have commented on the concept of representation. Stuart Hall (1997: 61)) defines representation as ‘the process by which members of a culture use language†¦to provide meaning’.From this meaning, he says, we can already see that ‘representation’ cannot possibly be a fixed, unchangeable notion. While culture and language evolve and grow with human society, the same must therefore be said of the perceptions of ‘representation’. Gillian Swanson (1991: 123) backs up Hall’s theory, observing that ‘there can be no absolute version of ‘how things are’ but only many competing versions’. She continues: Ideas about what people are like and how they are meant to be understood already prevail in our culture.They give meaning to our sense of self and allow us to position ourselves in relation to others. Such meanings and attitudes are reproduced in representation but the way representations are constructed is as important as the ideas and meanings they project, since they offer positions for us, through which we recognise images as similar, or different from, ourselves and those around us. We continually define ourselves in changing relations to those meanings; images change over time and the meanings which are legitimated by the social or cultural context change as well.The general idea of ‘representation’ then, not only changes over time, but may also have several different interpretations at any given point. Alexander Doty and Ben Gove (1997: 84) argue that when discussing homosexual representation in the mass media and popular culture we must look ‘beyond understanding the â₠¬Ëœmass’ or ‘popular’ as necessarily meaning a mainstream media or culture that only addresses millions of heterosexuals’. They acknowledge another, ‘alternative’ mass media that runs parallel to the ‘mainstream’ mass media but has been pushed to the sidelines in the past.A conservative viewpoint would state that this is because the mass media should convey the will and desires of the ‘majority’ and therefore should not be made to positively represent anything that contradicts the society’s dominant ideology. However, Doty and Gove note that in recent years the lines between these ‘mainstream’ and ‘alternative’ mass media have become blurred with, for example, the screening of programmes written, starring and watched by lesbians, gays and queers on television.Having said that, this by no means implies that there is less of an issue to be raised by the representation of homosexuality on television. The most obvious issue surrounding this is, of course, the stereotyping of gay characters on television and, in particular, television sitcoms. While gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender characters did not appear in television sitcoms until the 1970s, modern television sees an entire genre of situation comedies featuring gays.These types of programmes are no longer written by the homosexual for the homosexual, but have become integrated within Doty and Gove’s ‘mainstream’ mass media. They discuss the importance of being aware of who finances, creates, publicises and exhibits a certain programme, and how these factors might affect the way that programme represents ‘queerness’. For example, the two creators of the ‘gay-best-friend’ sitcom Will & Grace are Max Mutchnick, who is gay, and David Kohan, who is straight.Arguably, the way in which ‘queerness’ is represented here may have benefited from having a homosex ual and a heterosexual input. This way, the show has more chance of appealing to a wider ‘mass’ audience. Consequently, it is possible that the gay, lesbian or queer characters featured in television sitcoms may have been tailored, in a sense, for a heterosexual audience. This could go some way to clarifying why Will & Grace, unlike many other similar sitcoms of its kind, has become so popular. Stephen Tropiano holds a simpler view, claiming that ‘the success of Will & Grace really comes down to one thing – it’s funny.What separates Will &Grace from the gaycoms that only last a few months has little to do with its politics and more to do with the talent of the performers and the quality of the writing and direction (mainly, James Burrows, one of the best in the business). ’ Swanson notes the ‘extreme and caricatured way in which [stereotyping] draws on commonly-held impressions and assumptions’. It may be assumed that the views Sw anson talks about are ‘commonly-held’ by the dominant, heterosexual audience that the mass media is seen to address.If this is the case, then this may account, in part, for some of the stereotyping of gays in television sitcoms. A more positive (and therefore acceptable) representation would make the programme much more accessible to a much wider audience. But what could be regarded as a ‘positive’ image of gays and lesbians in television? Doty and Gove note that many of the images regarded as ‘positive’ by, and that received praise from critics and watchdogs were ones that played down homosexuality or ignored the issue altogether, depicting gays as being ‘just like everyone else’ in their attempts not to make it a focal point.On the other hand, those images where gays were more explicitly depicted fared no better. Joshua Gamson (1998: 21) found that studies of the portrayals of gay men and lesbians in film and television ‘ha ve soundly demonstrated how homosexual lives have been subject to systematic exclusion and stereotyping as victims and villains’. For example, Gamson cites Vito Russo’s The Celluloid Closet, in which Russo argues that television has produced ‘stereotypical conceptualisations of AIDS that vilify gays and legitimate homophobia’. Doty and Gove take this a step further, observing that:By the late 1980s and 1990s, the recurring televisual image of gay men with AIDS sparked heated critical debates over exactly what kind of image it was: ‘negative’, because it depicted homosexuality as a victimhood that, yet again, ended in death; or ‘positive’, as it encouraged sympathy and even admiration for gay men through images of their courage in the face of death. They identify a bit of a grey area concerning the labelling of the representation of homosexual images as ‘positive’ and ‘negative’ in that different people wi ll look at these images from a variety of perspectives; there can be no universal interpretation of any given image.The same can be said of trying to define ‘realistic’ images of gays, lesbians and queers on television. Doty and Gove observe that there are two ways in which people recognise these ‘real’ images; some note that text expressively marks the imagery through dialogue or by showing physical or sexual activity. Recent examples of this are Matt Fielding (Melrose Place), Simon and Tony (Eastenders) and Beth Jordache (Brookside). Other people feel that realistic images do not need to use explicit text to gauge a character’s sexuality on the basis of other signs.Many viewers see characters like Mr Humphries (Are You Being Served? ) and Xena (Xena: Warrior Princess) as being gay, lesbian or bisexual. These two binary explanations of what constitutes as a ‘realistic’ image of queerness shows the difficulty in even defining what Ã¢â‚¬Ë œreality’ is for gays, lesbians and queers. It is difficult to define a ‘typical reality’ or, to put it another way, to recognise a general gay ‘identity’ in which to categorise them. Essentialist theorists state that they are bound together by the fact that their identities are determined by their sexuality.Donald Hall (2003: 42) suggests that such theorists would argue that ‘same-sex desiring individuals have always existed and that however much their context may have changed, they were, without a doubt, aware of their sexual desires and they must have thought of themselves as belonging to a distinct group of similar individuals’. While it makes sense that the individual would have been aware of their sexual desires, constructionist theory would perhaps note that historically they may not have been aware of any sense of belonging, rather one of detachment due to the cultural influences in society at the time.Constructionist theory, say s Hall, emphasises language and belief systems in order to determine identity. Richard Dyer (2002: 19) observes, rather importantly, that ‘a major fact about being gay is that it doesn’t show†¦the person’s person alone does not show†¦that he or she is gay’. He argues that there are ‘signs of gayness’ such as expressions, stances and clothing that ‘make visible the invisible’. Typification is a near necessity, says Dyer, for the representation of gayness, which he argues is the product of social, political, practical and textual determinations.He deduces that the social factor is an integral one from which gay people can be recognised: The prevalent fact of gay typification is determined by the importance of a social category whose members would be invisible did they and the culture not provide lifestyle signs with which to make recognition possible†¦It is probable that most gay people are for most of their lives in fact invisible. Acting and dressing gay may only be an evening or weekend activity; in particular, it may not be practised at the workplace, or for married gays at home either.Equally, many people who are homosexual may never identify with the various gay lifestyles, never, in this sense, define and produce themselves as gay. What Dyer conveys here is that to be classed as ‘gay’, a person must be able to identify with not only the inner, biological aspects of ‘gayness’ (as put forward by essentialism) but also with the cultural aspects around them (as suggested by constructionism). This in itself is quite stereotypical because of the presumption about what is ‘gay’. Those who do not conform to this ideal are classed as ‘invisible’.Accordingly, the images we have been seeing of gay characters in television sitcoms may only be representations of certain types of gay people, and it is difficult to know whether or not these people are a majority or a minority. Will & Grace attempts to deviate from the stereotypical notions of ‘gayness’ through its two gay main characters, Will and Jack, and provide an insight into ‘invisible’ gayness. James Keller (2002: 124) describes the two main male characters as ‘foils representing diversity within gay masculinity, a diversity which argues for and against gender stereotypes about gay men’.The name ‘Will’, Keller says, signifies resolution and courage while the surname ‘Truman’ suggests that Will is a ‘real man’. This is also put across in the way he dresses. As an attorney, his conservative style and uptight personality mean that Will shows little of the usual stereotypical traits that signal to an audience that he is gay. Keller compares him to the modern sensitive male (such as Ross Geller in Friends), and his primary relationships focus mainly on women, namely Grace.The name ‘Jack’ is reminiscent of a joker or jester, a clown basically. While ‘Truman’ represents composure and respectability, ‘McFarland’ implies waywardness and outlandish behaviour. Tropiano asserts that, similarly to Will, Jack ‘isn’t exactly gay either: he’s hyper-gay’. Keller describes Jack as ‘silly, irresponsible, immature, narcissistic, effeminate, insulting and promiscuous’, the epitome of the negative stereotypical gay male, ‘made lovable by humour and childlike unselfconsciousness’.Their apparent contradictory personalities are, says Keller, the ‘respective embodiments of the familiar and the unfamiliar, although, paradoxically, what is coded as familiar here is actually unfamiliar in the history of gay representation’. He notes that Will is presented as the ‘norm’ whilst Jack is portrayed as unusual among gay men in a respectable, middle class situation. While Will is offered as th e ‘preferable alternative’ to the stereotype of the gay man, because Jack is much funnier and more stylish than Will he could, points out Keller, easily also be a preferable alternative.This presentation of two very different types of gay men, both preferable to the stereotype, serves to not only expand the culturally accepted notion of ‘gayness’ (as part of its political agenda) but also works as a hook to keep its audience interested (the main function of the programme). In addition to this, Will and Jack have enough depth, enough layers in their personalities, to represent – arguably – a certain sense of ‘realism’. Tropiano explains ‘[Sean] Hayes and the writers have created a three-dimensional character who, beneath his somewhat shallow exterior, is a strong, confident person.As a gay man, he’s also completely comfortable with his sexuality. ’ Will, on the other hand, though smart and successful, is the cha racter that most needs personal guidance, about love and relationships in particular, and Jack is often on hand to give this advice. Between these two characters, then, are a fair number of characteristics that gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and straight people alike would be able to relate to in some way.Furthermore, Will & Grace compromises with the dominant ideologies by making the most important relationships in the lives of the two gay characters heterosocial and quasi-heterosexual. By doing this, the problems identified in earlier ‘gaycoms’ such as Ellen (which was axed for being ‘too gay’ and overly political) are overcome and, as a result, more meaningful, contemporary representations of gay people seen in the show are able to ease naturally into cultural ideology as opposed to being forced through. Vito Russo (1987:325) argues against Richard Dyer’s (and others’) theory of invisibility.He says that ‘gays have always been vi sible†¦it’s how they’ve been visible that has remained offensive for almost a century’. Joshua Gamson supports Russo, pointing out that, until recently, gays and lesbians had very little input into their own representations. Dominant ideologies have therefore held virtually all control over how gays have been represented in the past, leading to negative stereotypes of gays. To remedy this, Gamson argues that ‘more exposure is the answer’. However, this in itself poses problems, such as when considering the positive/negative images approach.Doty and Gove note that its critics have suggested that ‘most definitions of what constitutes a ‘positive’ image would restrict the range of gay and lesbian representation as much as so-called ‘negative’, stereotypical images do, by encouraging only bland, saintly, desexualised mainstream figures who might as well be heterosexual’. But herein lies the problem: dominant c ultural ideology has, throughout history, commanded how gay people are represented in society and on television, and only recently have they been able to acquire some control themselves.After a period of trial and error, the television sitcom Will & Grace, with its innovative balance of hetero and homosexual political comedy, could be making its mark on society. During this time, gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transgenders have been continually trying to become fully accepted as part of mainstream culture. However, the images approach has been criticised for attempting to do just that. In an ever-changing culture, is the gay community in a state of confusion about which direction it wants to go, and how it wants to be represented when it gets there?References †¢ Craig, Steve (1992). Men, Masculinity and the Media. London: Sage Publications Ltd. †¢ Dyer, Richard (2002). The Matter of Images: Essays on Representation. London: Routledge †¢ Gamson, Joshua (1998). Freaks Ta lk Back. Chicago: University of Chicago Press †¢ Hall, Donald E. (2003). Queer Theories. Hampshire: Palgrave Macmillan †¢ Hall, Stuart (1997). Representation: Cultural Representations and Signifying Practices. London: Sage Publications Ltd. †¢ Keller, James R. (2002).Queer (Un)Friendly Film and Television. North Carolina: McFarland & Company Inc. †¢ Lusted, David (edited by) (1991). The Media Studies Book: A Guide For Teachers. London: Routledge †¢ Medhurst, Andy and Sally R. Munt (1997). Lesbian and Gay Studies: A Critical Introduction. London: Cassell †¢ Tropiano, Stephen (2002). The Prime Time Closet: A History of Gays and Lesbians on TV. Kent: Combined Book Services Ltd. †¢ Russo, Vito (1987). The Celluloid Closet: Homosexuality in the Movies. 2nd Ed. New York: Harper & Row

Friday, November 8, 2019

Short Writing and Discussion Topics for ESL

Short Writing and Discussion Topics for ESL The idea of this exercise is to get students to quickly write about a topic they choose (or you assign). These short presentations are then used in two manners; to generate spontaneous conversations on a wide range of topics, and to take a look at some common writing problems. Aim: Working on common writing mistakes - generating conversation Activity: Short intensive writing exercise followed by a discussion Level: Intermediate to upper-intermediate Outline Variation 1: Tell students that they will have exactly five minutes (reduce or extend the writing time as you feel is appropriate) to write about a subject on the list that you are going to give them.Variation 2: Cut the list of topics into strips and hand a different topic to each student. Tell students that they will have exactly five minutes (reduce or extend the writing time as you feel is appropriate) to write about the topic you have given them.Explain that students shouldnt worry about their writing style, but, rather, they should focus on quickly writing down their feelings about the topic they have chosen (or you have assigned).Have each student read what he or she has written to the class. Ask the other students to write down two questions based on what they hear.Have the other students ask questions about what they have heard.During the course of this exercise, take notes on common mistakes that occur in student writings.At the close of this exercise, discuss the common mi stakes you have taken not of with the students. In this manner, no student feels singled out and all students benefit from learning about typical writing mistakes. Writing Storms The best thing to happen to me today The worst thing to happen to me today Something funny that happened to me this week What I really hate! What I really like! My favorite thing A surprise I had A landscape A building A monument A museum A memory from childhood My best friend My boss What is friendship? A problem I have My favorite TV show My son My daughter My favorite grandparent

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

261 Vonnegut and Slaughterhouse-Five Professor Ramos Blog

261 Vonnegut and Slaughterhouse-Five Quick Write Kurt Vonnegut (1922 2007) Slaughterhouse-Five (1969) 1972 Movie

Sunday, November 3, 2019

Information Systems Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Information Systems Paper - Essay Example The latter is typically referred to as Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems. A typical ERP platform would encompass all major functions in an organization such as Operations, Inventory & Stores, Accounting, HR, Payroll, etc. Most clients tend to purchase an off the shelf product, and contract a software deployment specialist to make the required customizations to the platform and adapt the system for use at a particular company. I was involved with the specific deployment of an ERP system at a ceramics manufacturing company with roughly 1300 employees. The company was migrating from a legacy FoxPro based system to an MS .net based client-server ERP system, which would encompass all departments and be written in the newer Microsoft .net framework with a user friendly Graphic User Interface (GUI) as opposed to the text based interface for the legacy system. The specific departments that the ERP presently covers is Accounts, HR, Payroll, Inventory & Stores, Commercial Department, Sales, and Fixed Asset Control. The Manufacturing module is being developed and will be integrated into the ERP system over the next 10 - 12 months. The ERP platform, in its present state controls virtually every business process in the company. A closed loop workflow ensures tight knit integration between departments with electronic authorizations and checks at every stage of the process. Global connectivity of the system with users in 2 factories and 4 sales offices meant that user groups had to be able to interact with the system in a secure environment to manage workflows in these remote locations. For the factory locations, the company decided on connectivity through leased lines with direct point-to-point connectivity. However, with the geographically diverse locations of the 4 sales offices, leased line connectivity was not feasible. The company decided to utilize Internet based connectivity using Virtual Private Networks (VPN) to be establish connectivity from these remote locations to the main server housed in the corporate office. Connectivity to the system was a critical requirement for all remote locations. In the factory environment, the only way for the factory warehouses to check-in and enter fresh production into inventory is by utilizing the Stores & Inventory module to generate an inward bound Material Note. The Warehouse in turn is required to generate the Material Receipt Note to complete transactions. Similarly, when the Warehouse receives an electronic request to dispatch new products to one of the four remote sales locations, it uses the system to create a Material Dispatch Note that is closed once material is received by the remote location and the ticket workflow is closed in the system electronically. In case of an unplanned system downtime or a network outage, the company's operations come to a standstill since workflows cannot be completed. One of most critical workflows that get affected is the inventory process. No inventory can move in and out of any warehouse of the company until the sys tem electronically updates its records. The company had to put in exception handling for these circumstances, which involve emailing data packets to update inventory and complete workflows when there is scheduled maintenance of the system, or where longer system shutdowns may be required. System security was another important aspect of the system.

Friday, November 1, 2019

Java Programing Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Java Programing - Assignment Example Java is also simple in that software that can run in small machines can be constructed in java. This feature in java enable clean definition of of interfaces and makes it possible to provide reusable software. Object orientation focuses on the design on the data or objects and on the interfaces to it. Java language has an extensive library of routines for easily coping with TCP/IP protocols like Http and ftp. This allows java application to open and access objects across the net via URLs with the same ease the programmers are used to accessing a local file system. Java is a very environmentally flexible language since it can be easily run in multiple operating system. An interface can be multiply-inherited and they can be used in a more flexible way than the usual rigid class inheritance structure. Java one can compute a data type name and have it trivially dynamically linked into the running system. By making interconnections between modules later in the execution of the program, java will completely avoid problems and make the use of object-oriented paradigm much more straightforward, Libraries can freely add new methods and instance variables without any effect on their clients. Shows a set of use cases and actors (a special kind of class) and their relationships. Use case diagrams address the static use case view of a system, these diagrams are important in organizing and modeling the behaviors of a system. The goal of the use case is to identify all the features that the users of the system expects the system to support, but it does not reveal any details about the implementations of these features. The system can be run in systems from windows XP that has MS_Access as the database management software. The hardware minimum hardware requirements of the system that will be used to implement the system are Pentium II and above. Ram of -1gb and at-list a hard disk capacity of 20gb. This are the images in the system that users will upload

Wednesday, October 30, 2019

Building construction for the fire service essay 2 (Brannigan &

Building construction for the fire service 2 (Brannigan & Corbett, 2008 - Essay Example In addition, transporting or moving the fire fighting equipment to the building can be a problem as well (Schottke, 2012, p 34). High-rise fire requires huge resource requirement allocation. This is because a balance has to be achieved among a number of factors at play. For instance, achieving a balance between evacuating the occupants from within the building as well as allocating the necessary resources to curb the fire before it grows and destroys the property or causes loss of life. It is important to acknowledge that high-rise building fire fighting requires a huge number of experienced fire fighting personnel’s as well as sophisticated fire fighting equipment that are very expensive. A lot of coordination between the fire fighting personnel’s is also required (Schottke, 2012, p 35). Time is an important factor in fire fighting. The shorter the time of fire evacuation, the better the result and the vice versa. High-rise buildings pose a challenge to get water on target. This is simply due to the height involved, and in addition, a lot of time is lost when coordinating the various steps before the actual fire fighting commences. This increases the impacts of the fire. It is also important to note that the water is applied vertically in most cases and hence reducing its effectiveness (Schottke, 2012, p 35). Fire fighting in high-rise buildings is a dangerous undertaking. It should be carried out by skilled personnel’s and only after careful planning and consultation. The necessary equipments should as well be at play and should be used by specialized

Monday, October 28, 2019

Health safety and security for health and social care Essay Example for Free

Health safety and security for health and social care Essay Potential Hazards and the Harm that may arise from each in a Health and Social Care Setting In this unit 3 assignment, I will be explaining the potential hazards and the harm that may arise from each (physical environment, equipment, infections, working conditions, working practices and security conditions) in a health and social care environment. These settings can include day centers, hospitals, health centers, schools, residential and nursing homes, private homes, and nurseries. First I will define each of them and then explain 6 hazards that may harm an individual. A hazard is something that is dangerous which can cause harm to you or any other individual and cause pain, especially if nothing is done to reduce the risk. Physical Environment Physical environment incorporates anything around ranging from different objects, people, pets, the temperature, buildings and also the air. This can have a great impact on the health of individuals and staff. If a room is not well ventilated with any windows so that there is fresh air flowing around, then the bacteria from different people with influenzas and cold can spread around the room and those germs when they sneeze or a cough can make it contagious for other people to catch very easily. Temperature is how hot or an object, subject or person is measured in degrees. Temperature can cause various complications to persons with disabilities, babies and older people because they find it difficult to sustain their body temperature, as it is very important to keep yourself wrapped up very warm to reduce the cold breeze from off of their body. It can cause bronchitis and other respiratory problems. Fumes and smoke that may be contaminated the air in the room because of fires (house fires, factory or building) or leakage (gas, petrol) can cause persons to inhale it and eventually die. Persons with very light skin who go to the beach or just going on picnics with residents or the residents themselves from within a care home may be exposing themselves to too much sun and not protecting their skin with sunblock or even a hat can which can cause skin cancer. Water that has been spilled and left on the ground can be a hazard to anyone in a care home as they may not see the water on the floor to avoid it and can slip and end up injuring themselves by damaging their spine or even fracturing their limbs. Blocked fire exists can be a hazard as it should be clear at all times in case of an emergency so that you are able to leave the building quickly. If the exits are blocked and persons try to run to that exist then they can run into the thing or even push down someone causing that indivi dual to be trampled on and fracture their ribs or have a head injury. Equipment You may find different equipment in a care home which can include overloaded sockets, wheelchairs, chairs, hot surface of a cup, broken piece of furniture, walking stick. These are equipment which is used daily in care homes. In a care, there may be certain things which you may need to plug in but overloading the sockets is not an option as the amount of energy that would be generating from the electricity can cause it to spark and go up in flames. Persons near these plugs may end up being burnt on any part of their body which may cause them to lose some of their skin or even death. Tripping over the cords if it is not properly protected by being covered over causing to cut their lips or fractures to some parts of their body or by even hitting their head onto something causing them to become unconscious and have brain damage. If persons use their wet hands to either plug in or out any plugs it can be very dangerous as they can be electrocuted these hazards may cause people to be trap ped in the building because the elderly are not able to move as quickly as they would like to. An elderly can be at risk of falling out of the wheelchair when being pushed if they are not safely secured to the chair. This may cause individuals to bruise or fracture themselves as elderly people are very fragile. If left in the way the wheelchair can cause someone to hit their feet into it causing bruising and swelling to the toes. Chairs can also be another set of hazards that can harm someone when left in the way as it can also injure their feet if they hit into it. This can cause bleeding, swelling, bruising and obviously pain to the individual’s feet. Broken equipment such as a chair that needs to be thrown out because it is weak if the chair is left in everyone’s way and one of the elderly sits in it the chair will give way causing the individual to land on the floor and have back injury or even shift their pelvis out of alignment. Sometimes these scales can be very serious and life-threatening as they will need to seek medical attention. When giving the elder ly anything that may be hot you have to be careful as it may burn their hands and they may end up dropping the tea or cup over their legs or hands causing it to scald them. This can cause blisters and charred, black or red skin. Sometimes in a care, an elderly person may be sitting down but does not put the walking stick out of anyone’s way. A carer or another elderly person may be passing and does not see the stick will end up tripping over the walking stick and hurt the elderly person’s feet causing pain and swelling to that individual and to the person that fell they may have bruising.

Saturday, October 26, 2019

Slavery - Life On The Plantations :: Slavery Essays

Slave Life The warm climate, boundless fields of fertile soil, long growing seasons, and numerous waterways provided favorable conditions for farming plantations in the South (Foster). The richness of the South depended on the productivity of the plantations (Katz 3-5). With the invention of the cotton gin, expansion of the country occurred. This called for the spread of slavery (Foster). Slaves, owned by one in four families, were controlled from birth to death by their white owners. Black men, women, and children toiled in the fields and houses under horrible conditions (Katz 3-5). The slave system attempted to destroy black family structure and take away human dignity (Starobin 101). Slaves led a hard life on the Southern plantations. Most slaves were brought from Africa, either kidnapped or sold by their tribes to slave catchers for violating a tribal command. Some were even traded for tobacco, sugar, and other useful products (Cowan and Maguire 5:18). Those not killed or lucky e nough to escape the slave-catching raids were chained together (Foster). The slaves had no understanding of what was happening to them. They were from different tribes and of different speaking languages. Most captured blacks had never seen the white skinned foreigners who came on long, strange boats to journey them across the ocean. They would never see their families or native lands again. These unfortunate people were shackled and crammed tightly into the holds of ships for weeks. Some refused to eat and others committed suicide by jumping overboard (Foster). When the ships reached American ports, slaves were unloaded into pens to be sold at auctions to the highest bidder. One high-priced slave compared auction prices with another, saying, "You wouldn’t fetch ‘bout fifty dollas, but I’m wuth a thousand" (qtd. in Foster). At the auctions, potential buyers would examine the captives’ muscles and teeth. Men’s and women’s bodies were exposed to look for lash marks. No marks on a body meant that he or she was an obedient person. The slaves were required to dance or jump around to prove their limberness. Young, fair-skinned muttaloes, barely clothed and ready to be sold to brothel owners, were kept in private rooms (Foster). It was profitable to teach the slaves skills so that during the crop off-season they could be hired out to work. Although they were not being paid, some were doing more skilled work than poor whites were.