Should Gay Marriage Be Legal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Should Gay Marriage Be Legal - Essay Example Having a different sexual orientation does not make homosexuals outcasts and they have every right to exercise their freedom even if the freedom means marrying the same gender. Gay marriages do not pose any sort of threat to the states or the society so it is not at all correct to assume it as a social vice. The issue should be looked at with an open mind and in a broader perspective. Gays would not change their sexual orientation if the gay marriages are not legalized. However legalization would allow them to enjoy the same rights as the others without the fear of humiliation or disgrace from the general public. They would enjoy the same respect and recognition from the community which is gained by the straight couples. Previously the laws defined in a country were according to the religion that was being followed there with little regard for the minorities. However we now live in an era where laws are constituted keeping in mind the public interest and sanctity of their rights. Therefore if the states are advocates of freedom then this freedom should also be extended towards gays since they are equal members of the society. The opinion of the states should be taken into account but it should only be under the discretion of the government whether to allow or disallow legalization of gay marriages because leaving it onto the states would only promote discord and disunity. Not granting equal rights to the gay community is another example of discrimination that has tainted the human history for so many years. The argument that is proposed by its opponents is of immorality and that the gay couples can live together privately without marrying but this attitude only tends to force them into social isolation. It also forces the gay couple to explain their relationship continuously to the general public which makes them feel embarrassed, stopping them from active social

My Psychosocial Stage of Development Essay Example for Free

My Psychosocial Stage of Development Essay My Psychosocial Stage of Development S. Pulliam April, 2011 First I would like to define psychosocial development; this is the development of the personality or the acquisition of social attitude and skill from infancy through maturity. Based on the charting from Erickson’s Psychosocial Stages of Development, I fall into two separate categories based on my age. From the beliefs of Erickson, he believed that the achievements and failures of earlier stages influence later stages, whereas later stages modify and transform earlier ones (Erickson, 1980). The first is Young Adulthood and the second is Middle Adulthood. In the two stages from the chart the information is based on (Young adulthood) Intimacy v/s Isolation and the second one (Middle Adulthood) is based on Generativity v/s Stagnation Work and Parenthood Adults. Although there are two separate stages in the psychosocial stages that I fall under, I feel that I am at the midpoint for each and I have decided to consider both aspects in doing my psychosocial stages of development. To explain how the two stages correlate to my life, I decided in the last year to settle down and get married this is based on my young adulthood information from Erickson’s chart. The reason there is a correlation to my life based on Erickson’s chart under middle adulthood id because my life had children prior to the marriage but I am taking a more active role in being involved with activities and school when it comes to my children. In looking at my current psychosocial stage of development influence on my behavior and relationship, I find that I am a calm, and not hard to get along with even under pressure situations that has occurred with us based on my jealous tendencies and insecure ways because of previous relationship and not being with the father of my children. The influence that I see in young adulthood over my relationship is that there is a need for intimacy but not a major desire to have it on a regular basis. The isolation comes from not being so open and friendly to other males in my life or surrounding because of my relationship with my husband. I have male friends that I am social with but I do not allow the intimacy line to be crossed because of my relationship with my husband. The influence that I see in middle adulthood is the need to have a nurturing relationship with my children and creating a positive change to benefit my children lives. In looking at this I made changes in the way I approached my children and how I would not shelter them from the truth when they would ask me questions but give them true answer to their question. As small children I did not feel the need to give much explanation to my children’s questions but now I try to explain everything to them without being untruthful to them or give them false ideas about what is going on around them. To explain the positive and negative outcomes to psychosocial stages of development, I would have to say that there are many positive and negative but the few that stand out to me the most are. First negative outcome, getting over insecurities I had about the intimacy relationship that I chose to take on after breaking off a 10 year relationship with my children’s father. The second negative outcome was getting over the trust issues I had before going into the current marriage that I am in right now. The third negative outcome was getting pass the change of personality and ways I had to endure going into the marriage and getting use to a new personality and making the changes on both parts to make our marriage work to the best of our ability. Based on this information I feel that the positive outcomes to the psychosocial stages of Erickson were in a good way and I can see the difference in my life and marriage. First positive outcome was that I am able to trust again within my relationship with my husband. The second positive outcome was that I made a strong bond with my children and I have not only been a mother to my children but I am the friend that my children confide in when they have feeling they want to express. The third positive outcome I see is that I am calm and stress free with the way I deal with problem within my relationship and I am able to compromise with my spouse when we do not agree on things. In evaluating how other developmental issues have influenced my personality, I would have to say that during my early childhood life I dealt with a few attachment issues with my mother. I feel that during this stage I did not bond with my mother like most children tend to do when the mother is present because she was pre-occupied with her career as a teacher and coaching. So during this age I was in close relationship with my father and I never felt the true connection with myself and my mother like so many girls or women tend to have with a mother. Most of my time I spent with my father and aunts when I was in my early childhood age so I did not really know that much about my mother other than she coached and taught physical education. I admired what she did so I took on the quest of becoming a physical education teacher as well. In School age time I had to bare a lot of pressure in participating in sports and in my school work because the expectation was so high on me to achieve my education and athletic abilities because of what my mother represented in our community. At the same time I was pressured by other students because they felt that the only reason I made the team was because of my mother not because of my own ability. Once I graduated my goals with education were so different. I felt more of the need to help others in crisis situation so I went back to school to get my degree in mental health and social work and that is still my drive today. So from this experience I feel that I have a very strong personality in spite of the way so many tried to bring me down and I am a true fighter for what I believe in deep within my heart. My personality from what I can see is a driving force of who I am and I refuse to be compared to my mother in my quest to achieve greater feats in my life and the way I live my life. It is okay to be compared to her but I know that I could never be my mother or even like her because my drive and ambition is so different from the way she handles things. References http://www. support4change. com/stages/cycles/Erikson. html Erikson E. , 1980. Identity and the Life Cycle. Norton, New York http://currentnursing. com/nursing_theory/theory_of_psychosocial_development. html

The Stress of Childhood Gymnastics Essay -- Sports

The Stress of Childhood Gymnastics   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   For years gymnastics has been a sport that many children participate in. But as the years have gone by it has turned into something other than a place for kids to grow and learn. Its overwhelming commitment has continued to replace kids’ childhoods with stress, mental and physical pain and eating disorders. Many results have come from this change in the gymnastics society. Gymnasts have come to a point where they have been told and directed to understand that winning is the only important factor in gymnastics. â€Å" It’s about the elite child athlete and the American obsession with winning that has produced a training environment wherein results are bought in at any cost, no matter how devastating. It’s about how cultural fixation on beauty and weight on youth has shaped the sport and driven the athletes into a sphere beyond the quest for physical performance.† (Ryan 5)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   As a society we have the ability to change the ways in which our elite gymnasts are learning gymnastics. We need to redirect the teachings of the coaches and the parent involvement in order to achieve a atmosphere in which gymnasts can explore, learn and gain gymnastic abilities in which they feel they can handle. â€Å" Over the last 20 years there have been many publications on coaching as it relates to sport psychology or sport pedeology. No theoretical framework, however, exsits for explaining which factors are most important in the coaching process and which relationships among these factors are most significant.† (Cote pg.1) I propose that we create an environment with a stress on healthy dieting, good exercise and less strenuous workouts. Not an environment where winning is the prime concern. There are man... ...)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   As you can see there are several problems that lye within the gymnastics society, but we the outside force must come to learn, understand and teach the athletes and coaches some of the correct ways in which they can handle situations. I have come across some major problems throughout this paper, along with some good solution which I hope everyone can take into account. It is important for not only the athletes of this country to be aware of the problems they have, but also to inform the rest of society about the situations hence forth. I know things can change when we put our minds together and create action upon our solutions. I hope this information has helped anyone who was having a difficult time understanding some of the issues that arise with gymnastics, or anyone who had a question. â€Å" Don’t let a problem or situation get in the way of a dream.†

Confucianism, Taoism and Buddhism Essay

The Chinese are the among the cultures to whose lives and philosophies are greatly influenced by their religion – Confucianism, Taoism and Buddhism. These three school of thoughts basically deal as to how the Chinese live in harmony, not only among themselves but with nature as well. Among the three schools of thought, Buddhism is the only one which did not originate in China. Hence, it differs with Confucianism and Taoism in as much as it deals with the human being alone and his suffering. Nonetheless, although it is different from Confucianism and Taoism, it is admittedly not in conflict with these two but rather it reinforces the concepts and tenets of the two schools of thought. Buddhism primarily believes in reincarnation (nirvana) and affirms the fact that life is â€Å"suffering† and that â€Å"desire and craving† are the causes of suffering. In order to attain happiness, one has to overcome his cravings and desires, hatred and complaints. Although Buddhism was not originally from China, it has nonetheless gained widespread popularity over the centuries. At the start, Buddhism and the Chinese native religions vastly varied. Buddhism reinforced reincarnation while the native Chinese believed in single life only. Secondly, Buddhism insists that in order to achieve the state of Nirvana, one has to give up or leave society and enter the celibate and homeless life of a monk or nun while the Chinese placed great emphasis on the family and its continuance of descendants. Furthermore, Buddhism does not believe in the existence of the soul compared to the native Chinese who believe in earthly and heavenly souls and lastly, while Buddhism reiterates the independence of the monastic community, native Chinese religions insist that all institutions whether religious or secular are under the government. Eventually though, Buddhism adjusted to Chinese society and vice versa. Hence, the Chinese came to believe in reincarnation and believed that their deceased relatives became ancestors. Because Buddhism propagated the belief of reincarnation and the Chinese came to believe in it, it was able to bring together the development of a series of ideas regarding heaven and eternal happiness and that they could be reborn into different levels. Hence, modern Chinese society used Buddhist temples as the centrepiece of worship and study. It also made Buddhists the key players in funerals by taking over the burial and remembrance of the deceased. Wealthy and affluent Chinese make sure to have Buddhist monks during funerals because their presence more or less became an assurance of a good rebirth. Moreover, a deceased’s name place in a spirit plaque inside the temple meant that he or she is part of the daily Buddhist prayer. Gleaning from the history of Buddhism, the religion took different paths. Originally, it was an individualistic religion wherein one is responsible for his own progress in the path to nirvana. Thus, it entails that the believer has to enter the monastery and become a monk, with the aim of abandoning their desires. This is done by not doing any work and was only supported through begging and donations from the community. But the Chinese found this path to be very difficult and soon â€Å"easier paths† took form. The Chinese are known for their excellent health and long life. This is also attributed to Buddhism. With the separation from the original form of Buddhism came the Tantric form of Buddhism which stresses the total involvement of the body, mind and speech in the search for enlightenment and nirvana. As the doctrine of the karma took hold and fabricated itself into Chinese society, out came new types of behaviour that can be attributed to the Buddhists. The Chinese began to practice seated meditation and make offerings to images. They also adapted the Buddhist rites of confession and consecration. While Buddhism mainly seeks to promote the belief of reincarnation and karma, it was also able to alter the world of the Chinese in terms of materials by introducing new objects, symbols and rituals. The practice of making donations to the Buddhist monks in order to ensure their good rebirth also became adapted. Hence, inspite of its belief that in order to achieve Nirvana, one has to abandon all worldly and material things, Buddhism today especially in Chinese society encourages donations even at such huge amounts to the extent that the donor fails no reluctance for giving such to a supposedly celibate and austere community all for the sake of ensuring good karma and Nirvana. There is one basis for this practice: the monks relied mainly on the donations of the community. Aside from donating for the monks’ clothing and food, donors are also encouraged to make material offerings to Buddha such as gold, topaz, silver and crystal. Devotees are also encouraged to make images of the Buddha. While the Chinese are known for their frugality, they nonetheless place great importance in the splendour of Buddhist practices and images or objects. As can be seen, the Chinese value images of the Buddha that are made of precious stones and metals. Unlike Christians who use wood or clays for their images and icons, Chinese Buddhists believe that Buddhist deities must be given such images as their expression of respect. In summary, although Buddhism maintained the belief and practice of austerity and celibacy in order to attain eternal happiness and enlightenment, Chinese society in practice contradicts the tenets of Buddhism. This may be attributed to the fact that Buddhism adapted the culture of the Chinese instead of the other way around. Therefore, even though monks promoted and practiced austerity, they nonetheless encouraged their believers to give material wealth to the monastic community as security for their â€Å"rebirth†.

How useful are urban models to the modern geographer and urban planners?

An urban model is a simplification of a real city. They are used to help us understand more about real cities by showing patterns or processes which in real life may be complex and difficult to identify. They are applicable to a large number of cities rather than one particular city. They are based on the idea that there are similarities between cities. Geographers use these models to try and identify and explain urban spatial patterns and variations in their structure. Where as urban planners use the models to deal with real life situations such as deciding where to place a new motorway or deciding where to build a new business park. The first urban model to be produced was by Burgess in 1924 he attempted to explain the outward expansion of the city (Chicago) and the socioeconomic groupings of it inhabitants. He did this by splitting the city into five concentric zones: the central business district, transition zone, low class housing, medium class housing and high class housing. He devised these zones by the theory that individual compete with each other for the most favourable locations within the city. This competition was founded on the market for buildings and land: those who can afford the highest prices will get the best and most favourable land. This model could be useful to modern geographers as it could be used as a good starting point to look at the spatial variations of sections/zones within a town. It could also help to explain why people live where they do and why they live in certain groups. This model could be useful to modern urban planners as it could be used to describe the existing patterns of land use or city morphology and be compared to that of the modern morphology of a city in deciding where to place a certain building etc. due to the density of inhabitants in a certain area. It could also be used to measure land values and density within a city. Hoyt was the second producer of an urban model in 1939. He adapted on the same implicit assumptions that burgess had made but with adaptations. Hoyt's model was based on the mapping of eight housing variables for 142 cities in the USA. He tried to account for changes in, and the distribution of residential patterns. He had the addition of three new factors on the burgess model. He suggested that areas of the highest rent tended to be alongside main lines of communication and that the city grew in a series of wedges. He also said that once an area had developed a land use that it would remain that use as the city extended outwards. This model could be useful to modern geographers as it is a better adaptation of the burgess model. Meaning that extra factors have been taken into consideration such as the wealth and similar land uses. This could be more helpful as it makes more judgements on where and why variations will happen. Such as wealthy people can afford the highest rates so will have the best position and afford to buy cars so will live further from he Central business district. This model could be useful to modern urban planners as it is a better adaptation of the burgees model with extra factors taken into consideration. This could be helpful to a planner as it talks about land value and how similar land uses attract other similar land uses. This is helpful as a planner can locate where certain industries are and where to situate them. Also to know where the wealthy people are will help to know what services and transport routes are best targeted towards them Mann was the third producer of an urban model in 1965. He tried to adapt the Burgess and Hoyt models to three industrial towns in northern England. He made a compromise model that combined ideas of burgess concentric zone model with that of Hoyt's sectors model. He assumed that because of prevailing winds in northern Britain blow from the west, that the high class housing would be in the west and industry with its smoke, would be locate to the east of the central business district. This model could be useful to modern geographers as it combines the two theories of Hoyt and burgees resulting in a more complex and relevant model. It could be useful to see if industry does affect the position and distance of certain types of economic wealth. This model could be useful to modern urban planners as it combines the theories of Hoyt and burgees producing a more complex and applicable model. It could be useful in the location of industry and the construction of houses for different socio economic inhabitants. Ullman and Harris were the fourth producers of an urban model in 1945. They set out to produce a realistic model compared to those of Burgess and Hoyt but consequently they ended up with one that was more complex and this meant that the model was more descriptive then predictive. They said that a multiple nuclei needed to be developed as a response to the need for maximum accessibility to a centre, to keep certain types of land use apart and to show differences of land values, This model could be useful to modern geographers as it is more realistic to the modern world with its complexity. It could be useful to see if a town/city does actually follow the model with several nuclei. It also help to explain the inhabitants that commute to the central business district and see if they add to its density and population. This model could be useful to modern urban planners as it could help to locate bus routes and roads that were needed for the commuters and people who travel to work from the multiple nuclei. It could also help in the planning and placing of new houses for the people leaving the city to commute to work. In conclusion I think that urban models are very useful to modern geographers and planner's .I think that models are a good starting point for analysing the morphology of modern cities. These models were produced in the past so it is obvious that changes will have taken place such as technology, fashions and transport. This does not mean that the models cannot be of use. The principles can still remain with a little adaptation to the real modern world.

How to Get Learning Accommodations at School

How to Get Learning Accommodations at School Some students struggle in school and need more support than is typically found in the traditional classroom, but that extra support isnt always easy to come by. For college students, typically the institution will require that the student provide documentation and request accommodations in a timely manner, and most will have the resources available to meet the students needs. However, the same isnt always true at secondary schools or middle/elementary schools. For schools who dont have robust academic support programs, students may be  forced into special education classrooms or they may be required to stumble along without accommodations in the traditional classroom.   However, there are options for students struggling in school, and one of those options is a private school. Unlike public schools, parochial and private schools do not have to grant students with learning disabilities accommodations. This ruling falls under section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act  and is a direct result of the fact that private schools dont receive public funding. These private schools also have a pass when it comes to the need to follow the regulations of the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA), which states that public schools must grant students with disabilities a free appropriate public education. In addition, unlike public schools, private schools do not offer students with disabilities IEPs, or Individual Educational Plans. Private Schools: Varying Resources and Accommodations Because they do not have to adhere to these federal laws governing the education of students with disabilities, private schools vary in the support they grant to students with learning and other disabilities. While years ago, private schools often said that they did not accept students with learning issues, today, most schools accept students who have diagnosed learning issues, such as dyslexia and ADHD, and other issues such as autistic spectrum disorder,  recognizing that these issues are actually common, even among very bright students. There are even a number of private schools who cater to the needs of students with learning differences. Some private schools for learning differences were founded specifically for students whose learning challenges  dont allow them to enter the mainstream classroom. The goal is often to support students and teach them to understand their issues and develop coping mechanisms that allow them to enter the mainstream classroom, but some students remain in these specialized schools for their entire high school careers.   Dedicated Learning Specialists In addition, many private schools have psychologists and learning specialists on staff who can help students with learning issues organize their work and refine their study skills.  As such, a number of mainstream private schools even offer academic support program, ranging from basic tutoring to more comprehensive academic support curriculums that provide students with a personal educational expert to help them better learn how they learn and understand the challenges they have. While tutoring is common, some schools go beyond that and offer organizational structure, time management skill development, study tips, and even provide advice on working with teachers, classmates and handling workloads.   Private schools also may be able to grant accommodations to help students in school, including the following: extra time on testsuse of a computer or tablet for writing in-class essays and assignmentshelp from a learning specialist to learn how to prepare for tests, study, organize study materialsuse of a private room for testing or work If youre thinking of private school and either know or suspect that your child may need extra assistances, consider these steps you might pursue to determine if the school can meet your childs needs: Get Started with Professional Evaluations If you havent already, make sure to have your child evaluated by a licensed professional. You may be able to have the evaluation conducted by the local school board, or you may ask your private school for the names of private evaluators. The evaluation should document the nature of your childs disabilities and the required or suggested accommodations. Remember, that while private schools arent required to grant accommodations, many offer basic, reasonable accommodations, such as extended time on tests, for students with documented learning issues. Meet with Professionals at the School before you apply Yes, even if youre just applying to the school, you can request meetings with the academic specialists at the school. Assuming you have the testing results available, you may set up appointments. You would likely coordinate these meetings through the admission office, and they can often be combined with a school visit or sometimes even an Open House, if you provide advance notice. This allows both you and the school to assess whether or not your childs needs can be properly met by the school. Meet with Professionals at the School after youre accepted Once youre accepted, you should schedule a time to meet with your childs teachers and learning specialist or psychologist to begin developing a plan for success. You can discuss the results of the evaluation, the proper accommodations for your child and what this means in terms of your childs schedule. Here are more strategies about how to advocate for your child with learning issues. Article edited by Stacy Jagodowski.

Degenerative Disc Disease Surgery Essay Example

Degenerative Disc Disease Surgery Essay Example Degenerative Disc Disease Surgery Essay Degenerative Disc Disease Surgery Essay Chronic low back pain is pain that lasts for more than three consecutive months. It is associated with degenerative disc disease that impairs spinal motion. Degenerative disc disease is common in elderly persons and may end up causing severe lower back pain. Regardless of the many studies conducted, the results of spinal fusion after degenerative disc disease are not well established. This situation, thereby, triggered the research in order to outline the overall outcomes after a successful surgery apparently. There is also little knowledge of whether the physical therapy after a surgery works at all. The research conducted was a comparison of many previous studies that have covered the degenerative disc disease and establish the standard solutions they have offered. All the materials and the methodology used are discussed at length while the last section gives the discussions and the proposed conclusions.

Best TV Shows About College Life

Best TV Shows About College Life If not for television, would we know how it feels to have the experience of raising 8 kids? Would we understand the thrill and rush that comes with learning to express yourself in high school through song and dance? What about the strength, bravery, and courage of a woman trapped in a religious theocracy that is simply doing what she can to survive and get herself out? While the plots for shows mentioned above may take their liberties with emotion and drama to create visually stunning programming and ratings producing statistics, something is to be said for those shows that create a more realistic window into the everyday lives of people. One of the most important of those experiences being, of course, college life. Television has, over the decades, created a wide range of shows that are meant to represent college life. Some take a more whimsical approach to the topic, like when Sabrina went to college and learned that life with magic isnt just hard in high school. Others take a more simple approach, choosing to pick and pull sugar coated lessons from college meant to entertain, rather than provide thoughtful insight into a character or experience like when Saved by The Bell took it to the College Years.. However, not all shows are designed to just be purely for entertainment. Some of the best tv shows about college put the focus on the characters and their complicated and sometimes tragic backstories, the political realness that comes with being different in a place where you have a voice to express it, and the all to familiar sense of falling in and out of love with the person you are becoming. Throw in a bit of bad cooking, take-out, deadlines, and romance, and you have the makings of a truly great tv show about college life. Here is our list of the Best TV Shows About College Life! Dear White People This critically acclaimed show about college life comes from Justin Simien. Dear White People focuses on a group of African American students at an Ivy League school that is trying to balance their school life with the â€Å"post-racial† society we are currently in. While sometimes misguided, their actions put them in situations that give voice to current social and political issues facing minority college students today. What makes Dear White People so great, is that it is for everyone. The show doesnt just focus on stereotypical â€Å"black-anger† or â€Å"white-guilt†, instead, it shows us what life is like learning to interact with people on both sides who just dont know better than what they have been raised to believe. With an intelligent script and a standout cast, this is one college life tv show that you are sure to binge watch! Grown-Ish Something about college show spin-offs always tends to do well and Grown-ish is no exception. A spin-off of ABC’s blackish follows their eldest daughter as she traverses her way between what the series creator calls â€Å"that in-between place where you are not quite an adult but facing grown world problems for the first time.† What we love about this show is its very real ability to show how the character struggles with not always getting what she wants. Too often we go to college assuming that we have finally made it, only to realize that we are only just beginning the first steps into adulthood. This show provides an excellent view of what this can make us feel like, and more importantly, the do’s and donts of how to react to it. Veronica Mars Veronica Mars follows the story of a girl who had everything in high school, and, after a series of personal events, finds herself an outcast in her school and neighborhood. Turning lemons into lemonade, she begins her journey of healing and self-discovery working as a private detective for her father. While the first 2 seasons of this show put Veronica in high school, the final third season explores her transition into college life. The confidence, bravery, and cunningness needed to survive those harsh high school years are just enough to help her keep a hold on things as they turn upside down in college. What we love about Veronica Mars and her college years is watching what type of greatness can be achieved out of tragedy. No story is better for watching someone who fell from grace so to speak, rise up to be better, smarter, and more capable than they had ever dreamed of being. Different World This Cosby Show spin-off follows the life of Denise Huxtable as she journeys through her college life at a historically black college. What makes this so real is that it represented life for African Americans in a way that hadnt been done on TV at the time. Fully diving into the social and political challenges that people of color were facing at the time was highly instrumental in teaching and motivating African American students to enroll in university and find an outlet to be the type of change they wished to see in the world. Mixed into the all-star cast, and the strong storylines was also a lot of fun, laughs, pranks, and hilarious misunderstandings. Truly one of the best television shows about college ever created! Community This NBC sitcom features a ragtag bunch of students that get together, initially, to form a study group. As time continues, they form a rather unique, bond that pulls them through the ups and downs of life at a community college. What makes Community great is that the setting isnt your typical university where everyone is bright eyed and bushy tailed with a long and exciting future ahead of them. With it being a community college, the age of the characters widens,providing a unique perspective into the world of people when they think that they have done everything right and it all turns out so wrong. The best part about this college life tv show is that it uses humor and hijinks to prove a lesson that most are looking for in college just be yourself, because nobody knows what they are doing! Felicity Felicity followed a small town girl who thought she would follow a small town boy to the Big Apple to win him over. While Felicity led a sheltered existence, she soon learns that life doesnt always go as planned and that finishing the day off as the same person you started it isnt always possible. What makes Felicity so great is the fact that it best represents what happens when we thought we had a plan, and even something better comes along. The endless possibilities that hit us in our college years provide the foundation that we build all future decisions on and the story of Felicity’s journey is a moving and inspiring one that is sure to connect with anyone who wanted to follow their heart to a better life. The Magicians The Magicians comes from a book of the same name and follows a group of students doing a postgraduate program at Brakebills a school for magic. Often described as a darker and more adult version of Harry Potter, this show, in reality, is so much more. What makes this show so great is the fact that the magic aspect isnt a huge deal in the show. Or at least it is just as important as showing the characters leveling up of their emotional and mental prowess in addition to their magical one. Love, betrayal, stress, and anxiety all fold together beautifully to show a college experience that has everyone constantly stressed and worried if they are going to make it to the next day. That is surely something that everyone can relate to. And while the extra sci-fi touch to it may be a bit much for some, we are confident that it is just enough to keep you on the edge of your seat wanting more! Whether we love watching them because the stories are more relatable, or because the characters are more believable, (no teenager is ever that clever in real lifeever), one thing is for certain, they are the shows that touched our hearts and got us through some of the best and worst times in that wonderful time we call college life. Image credit: IMDB

Software Development Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Software Development - Coursework Example The use case diagram shall indicate the activities and duties carried out by different individuals involved in the operations of the company. All the actors presented within the use case diagram shall have functions associated with them, and linking them to the rest of the actors within the use case diagram. The class diagram on the other hand shows the different levels of all the actors involved within the framework of the use case diagram. The use case diagram presents a list of all actors involved in the operations of the company, while the class diagram classifies the different users involved. The use case diagram presents the various functions performed by different actors within the diagram. Following the identification of these functions, the class diagram shall present a detailed explanation of the categories present within the class diagram. The members present within the class diagram shall have class level attached to their identity to classify the categories dividing the members. The use case diagram presents the recipients of the donations as the last actors within the context of the use case. The interaction of these actors shall only occur between the members presenting them with the donation. Within the class diagram, however, the individuals presenting the donations and the activity coordinators shall form part of the donor-recipient association. ... Since majority of the functions seek to focus on the donors, the central actors in the use case diagram form the association of the donor and the recipient. The associations of the donor and recipient shall be presented as binary association, facilitated through other people not benefiting from the association. Donors shall form part of the public class with the name of donors forming the next class of private level. Classified information contained in the class diagram shall include but not limited to the donations offered by the donors onto the organisations. This class would be classified as the protected class by the system enabling the storage of information contained in this class for future reference. Retrieving of particulars regarding the donations offered by each donor remains the function of few individuals, with the necessary authority to perform these functions. The donors should be able to check the information regarding their previous donations to the organisation. Thi s information remains crucial for the donors who need to trace their donations before offering others. Following the donations, the donor could be able to retrieve information regarding the loyalty point earned from the donations made. Accessing this information could also present the opportunity for donor to present their pledges. The use case diagram should present description of the actors who should be making follow-ups on the status of pledges. This would ensure that the status of the pledges made by donors remains updated, as the information could assist the coordinators in allocating donations to needy recipients. Such information would also play a significant role in ensuring the donations arrive at the required destinations on timely basis. A major disadvantage of the

The Basques Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

The Basques - Research Paper Example With the incursion of the modern industrial age, however, in the form of mines and steel mills, much of the Basque tradition has disappeared along with its unique language, Catalan. Over the past thirty or so movements have arise to stop this progressive cultural deterioration and to restore the identity of the Basques—their language and culture—to former glory. These movements, however, suggest a separatist government apart of the central government of Spain, a demand fought violently by separatists groups that have to an extent damaged the Basque cause. The good position in which the Basques now find themselves can only maintained by denying the separatist movement as a radical tool of the past no longer necessary. The Basques: Background and History The homeland of the Basques, known by Basque nationalists as Euzkadi, lays claim to some of the oldest known people in Europe. Their land occupies the area on the French border near the Bay of Biscay and east to the area of San Sebastian. Although over the centuries overrun by scores of invading hordes from the south and east, the Basques remained until the tenth century â€Å"a fairly isolated† (Solsten and Meditz par 3) and distinct cultural group. Divided originally into two autonomous regions, the area was eventually absorbed by the powerful kingdom of Navarre. By the 16th century the kingdom became fragmented and war torn, and the Basque region was subsequently absorbed by the powerful lords of Castile--an event which even today raises the ire of true Basques who see themselves as separate in culture and language from the Castilian majority. Earlier Basque provinces were recognized as separate political entities with fueros, or full local privileges by the central governm ent of Castile and all went smoothly. But with the full centralization of the Spanish state and the protracted Carlist wars of the 1800s, the fueros were abolished, leaving the Basques and their culture at the mercy of various kings. Moves to reestablish the Basque region as autonomous from Castile in the 1930s were thwarted by the bloody Spanish Civil War of the 1930s. (Solsten and Meditz par 3) Worse for the Basques, with the victory of the Falangists over the Spanish Republican army, and the rise of Dictator Generalissimo Franco, the Basques became targets of Franco’s frenetic attempts to extinguish their language and culture and force them into the Spanish mainstream. With Franco’s death in the 1970s restrictions on the Basques and their culture were largely lifted, but feelings of absorption by the central Spanish regime remained an issue. For the Basques, their unsettled history from the mid-1900s onward has been one â€Å"clash† after the next with the â €Å"other Spain.† They resent the influx of heavy industrial activity—mines and steel mills—activity which brought a steady stream of non-Basque migrants to further dilute the language and culture. This steady decline of culture, while accepted by some, has been the root of serious violent disagreement over time between the Spanish government at large in Castile and hard core separatists in the form of the well-publicized terrorist activities of the ETA and its membership. The Basques: Politics Firstly, it is important to note that what constitutes being a Basque does not require residency in Spain or the Basque region. Many Basques, for a variety of reasons include those economic had left Spain over time and settled all over the world. As with other nationalities which have dispersed, there is a tendency to continue to identify with the group. This is sometimes true of the Basque, and sometimes not. In Belgium, for instance, there is a strong tendency to follow political

What types of problems do you think NTSB might encounter when dealing Essay

What types of problems do you think NTSB might encounter when dealing with an international investigation involving several ICAO members What about involving non-ICAO members - Essay Example ile conducting an investigation, policies themselves need to be as carefully examined as the actual cause of the accident, since they might be one of the reasons eventually leading to the accident. This might not be achieved if a number of members of an NTSB investigation are from the ICAO, as they would try to influence the results, thereby making the investigation faulty. 2) Another important issue is that an NTSB investigation, when conducted independently might lead to certain conclusions that require legislation to be changed. It might require a change in procedures followed by the airline operators that can sometimes increase their costs considerably. However, if the policies of the ICAO are against such an increase in costs, these changes might be discarded, thereby affecting the entire investigation. Therefore, although the NTSB would benefit from the technical expertise of the members of the ICAO, due to reasons that might affect the outcome of the investigation, it would be appropriate to include non – ICAO

Competing in the global arina Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Competing in the global arina - Essay Example Globliztion is "neither new nor folly but global movement of ides, people, technology nd goods from one region to others benefiting the people t lrge" (mrty Sen cited Stiglitz 2002, p. 6). The main companies contributed to globalization are McDonald's, General Motors, Wal-Mart, Google and Yahoo! which account for over half of the world's output. This geographical concentration reflects existing economic relations between the North and the South (Bhagwati 98). Rivalling nation-states in their economic power, these corporations control much of the world's investment capital, technology, and access to international markets. In order to maintain their prominent positions in the global marketplace, transnational corporations merge with other corporations. These companies have consolidated their global operations in an increasingly deregulated global labor market. The availability of cheap labor, resources, and favorable production conditions in the global South has enhanced corporate mobility and profitability (Hirst and Thompson 134-135). The main drivers of globalization are technology, free trade and low barriers to trade, investments and democratization processes. A combination of weak and unstable governments, small and vulnerable economies, warlike conditions, and widespread poverty creates unattractive conditions for the major drivers of globalization, especially the global corporations and other private sector investors (Bhagwati 23). Apart from mining and other natural resources extractive industries, these countries are not players in the global economy. Moreover, lack of good governance often means that the proceeds from these economic activities benefit only a select group of elites, giving rise to private armies and guerrilla movements (Stiglitz 90). Price system help companies to sell product around the world and meet diverse customers' needs. Indeed, the network's market share increased even further as a result of the dramatic reduction in the price and size of satellite dishes. Suddenly, such technolog ies became affordable, even for low-income consumers (Bhagwati 21). For instance, a new economic order allows the farmers to produce more than the market can absorb but get paid at a fair price. It also keeps agricultural goods, produced elsewhere more cheaply and efficiently, out of these countries' markets. Globalization, as it relates to trade, is aimed at reducing or eliminating protectionism in order to maintain a level playing field for all trading nations. Still, developing countries continue to face a wide range of nontariff administrative instruments of protectionism, which keep their exports out of the rich markets of developed countries. Protectionism by the developed countries-aimed at keeping developing countries out of the formers' markets especially in sectors such as agriculture, textiles, and light manufacturing where the latter have a decided comparative advantage-is a serious impediment to free trade and globalization and a constant source of conflict in multilate ral negotiations (Hirst and Thompson 98). Contrary to public perception, export subsidies are not an efficient public policy instrument for allocating resources. This is particularly important for developing countr

Animal Eyes Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Animal Eyes - Essay Example When light passes through the retina, it captures some while the rest passes proceeds to the Tapetum Licidum (Winifred & Krause 16). The mirror like layer of cells sequentially reflects light back to the retina (Winifred & Krause 16). This ricocheting of light is what gives off the green like flash in the animal’s eye at night (Winifred & Krause 16). Reflected light in the retina facilitates concentration of light, which enhances visualization. This process gives the animal greater and higher vision besides enabling them to hunt or scavenge their prey at night. Conversely, the â€Å"red eye† color characterizes animals that do not have Tapetum Licidum (Pendergrast 23). Therefore, this implies their eyes are not ready for the sudden entry of light except during incidences characterized by much light, which then penetrates into the eye, for instance, photographing. The â€Å"red eye† glow appears when thick light passes through the pupil of the eye and bounces off the red organs and blood capillaries in the eye. The amount of melanin in the eye can also cause â€Å"red eye† effect. People with high melanin level in the eye tend to absorb higher light intensity. Therefore, little light reflects on the red blood capillaries and body tissues leading to the absence of the â€Å"red eye† effect. Presently, numerous cameras have an installed feature meant to reduce â€Å"red eye† effect that works when flash goes off twice. The first flash makes eye pupils contract, hence making them smaller. The second flash, which is the actual one for taking pictures, finds the pupils smaller and reflects light on fewer blood vessels. This strategy reduces the â€Å"red eye† effect while taking a

Competing in the global arina Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Competing in the global arina - Essay Example Globliztion is "neither new nor folly but global movement of ides, people, technology nd goods from one region to others benefiting the people t lrge" (mrty Sen cited Stiglitz 2002, p. 6). The main companies contributed to globalization are McDonald's, General Motors, Wal-Mart, Google and Yahoo! which account for over half of the world's output. This geographical concentration reflects existing economic relations between the North and the South (Bhagwati 98). Rivalling nation-states in their economic power, these corporations control much of the world's investment capital, technology, and access to international markets. In order to maintain their prominent positions in the global marketplace, transnational corporations merge with other corporations. These companies have consolidated their global operations in an increasingly deregulated global labor market. The availability of cheap labor, resources, and favorable production conditions in the global South has enhanced corporate mobility and profitability (Hirst and Thompson 134-135). The main drivers of globalization are technology, free trade and low barriers to trade, investments and democratization processes. A combination of weak and unstable governments, small and vulnerable economies, warlike conditions, and widespread poverty creates unattractive conditions for the major drivers of globalization, especially the global corporations and other private sector investors (Bhagwati 23). Apart from mining and other natural resources extractive industries, these countries are not players in the global economy. Moreover, lack of good governance often means that the proceeds from these economic activities benefit only a select group of elites, giving rise to private armies and guerrilla movements (Stiglitz 90). Price system help companies to sell product around the world and meet diverse customers' needs. Indeed, the network's market share increased even further as a result of the dramatic reduction in the price and size of satellite dishes. Suddenly, such technolog ies became affordable, even for low-income consumers (Bhagwati 21). For instance, a new economic order allows the farmers to produce more than the market can absorb but get paid at a fair price. It also keeps agricultural goods, produced elsewhere more cheaply and efficiently, out of these countries' markets. Globalization, as it relates to trade, is aimed at reducing or eliminating protectionism in order to maintain a level playing field for all trading nations. Still, developing countries continue to face a wide range of nontariff administrative instruments of protectionism, which keep their exports out of the rich markets of developed countries. Protectionism by the developed countries-aimed at keeping developing countries out of the formers' markets especially in sectors such as agriculture, textiles, and light manufacturing where the latter have a decided comparative advantage-is a serious impediment to free trade and globalization and a constant source of conflict in multilate ral negotiations (Hirst and Thompson 98). Contrary to public perception, export subsidies are not an efficient public policy instrument for allocating resources. This is particularly important for developing countr

Final Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Final - Case Study Example This letter discusses your organization’s management issues and offers recommendations. While describing your firm’s management issues, let me illustrate the four basic management functions of organizations, so that you can have a deeper appreciation of my analysis and recommendations. After each management function, I will point out the organizational issues that are applicable to every function. The first management function is planning, which refers to setting organizational goals and identifying how they can be efficiently and effectively achieved (Griffin, 2012, p.7). Since you have a new firm, we will include planning the communication of vision, mission, and strategies as part of the planning stage. In terms of the planning function, the main issues of your firm are: 1) Lack of clear organizational and individual goals; 2) Absence of control measures for these goals; 3) and Need for discussion of standards and target outcomes that are related for every organizati onal and individual goal. The second management function is organizing, which pertains to organizing the people and resources needed to execute organizational plans (Griffin, 2012, p.7). It pertains to allocating activities and resources among different goals. The primary organizing issue in your firm is poor segregation of functions due to limited employees and absence of job design and descriptions, as well as lack of organized human resource management functions, including recruiting, selecting, training, developing, and terminating employees. The third management function is leading, which refers to the set of leadership activities and styles that motivate people to perform their roles and responsibilities (Griffin, 2012, p.7). People are not naturally motivated to promote organizational interests, and in organizations, employees need strong leaders who can inspire them to align their individual interests with that of the organization (Griffin, 2012, p.7). In the area of leaders hip, the main issues of your firm are poor communication of vision, mission, business strategies, and goals, and absence of motivation strategies for employees. The fourth management function is controlling, or monitoring the organization’s timely and ethical attainment of predetermined goals (Certo & Certo, 2012; Griffin, 2012, p.7). Controlling affects the rest of the management functions because it helps measure how well/poorly planning, organizing, and leading have been conducted (DuBrin, 2012, p.541). Controlling directly affects planning because planning sets the goals and standards of achieving them (DuBrin, 2012, p.541). Controlling helps managers understand if the plans are properly and timely implemented. Accurate and relevant information is important because it enlightens managers on the present state of the organization, and exposes problems and issues that must be resolved. This information is also used to create or change business strategies, as well as reward p eople for achieving or surpassing goals (DuBrin, 2012, p.541). Controlling is likewise related to organizing because it measures and monitors if the organization of resources is appropriate to the needs of the business. Controlling affects leadership too because it tells leaders where the organization is in terms of vision, mission, and goals. It assists managers in becoming aware of

Inspector Goole Essay Example for Free

Inspector Goole Essay Inspector Goole behaves in a very blunt way. He doesnt waist any time he just gets straight to the point. He has an amazing way of not even having to say anything or ask everyone will just blurt out the answer to him. To do this he uses direct questions. This puts people of balance and they tell all. He also can tell things from the facial expressions. The Inspector uses a really interesting technique with the photograph of Eva Smith. He will only show one person at a time, he doesnt show them all at once. However, while reading the script many of us were thinking is this really a photo of the same girl? Or is it even a photograph. Inspector Goole could really be using a dramatic device to show the Birlings and make them look at themselves with disgust. I think it is a bit strange that the Inspector never shows the photo to them all at once, this make me think that either it is a photo of a different girl or in fact not a photograph at all. I think that this was not a photograph the inspector was showing but a mirror. To make them look closely at them selves, exam themselves with disgust and hatred. When they look in the mirror maybe they dont only see themselves, they could see everything they have done in a quick glimpse, maybe they see Eva Smiths face, staring back at them crying in pain and agony. I think the mirror is a good theory. This would explain why each one of them had a different reaction to the photograph. As they are really seeing themselves and are each reacting with more or less awareness of what they have done. The inspector is not there to destroy their lives. He does not want to ruin them he just wants them to realize what they are doing and change it before it too late. He has a sort of sympathy towards Sheila the youngest child. He does not want to destroy her and make her think that it was all her fault, he just wants to help her And if she leaves us now and doesnt hear anymore then she will fear she is entirely to blame. The inspector doesnt want her to feel any blame on Evas death, he just wants her to realize she had an impact on Eva Smiths death, so that she can teach herself respect towards others. Inspector Goole only seems off hand with Mr. and Mrs. Birling. It is as if he wants them to set a good example to their children and change the way they are. I think the inspector does feel sympathy towards the children as he realizes they are only like this as this is how their parents brought them up. There is no possible way that you can take advantage of Inspector Goole.  He knows exactly what he is doing. He talks about Eva Smith/ Daisy Renton quite kind and sympathetic, showing that he has affection for her.  The Inspector appears to be really successful. The way that he squeezes information out of people, hardly having to say a word himself. He has a way that he will just make them feel so bad about themselves that they spill out all the information. Also, he keeps on coming back to the point he has asked until he has squeezed all the information he possibly could out. So, the inspector does appear to be successful with getting information out about the death. However, is this really what he is trying to be successful with? If he is trying to make them realize what they have done was he successful? I think that on some members of the family they really did realize what they had done. Shelia, for example, she felt really bad about what she had done and so did Eric. So the Inspector was successful teaching them a lesson. Mr. and Mrs. Birling however, felt that they had nothing to do with the death and that they were not to blame at all. They were so stubborn they couldnt even realize they were the worst out of all of them. The Inspector was more successful with the information about Eva Smith. Although I think that the ending would have left all of them realizing what they had done, so the Inspector was successful, even if the Birlings would not admit to being in the wrong. The Inspector has a different impression and impact/effect on each one of the characters. This is due to the fact of the different characteristics of the charters, and how responsible they feel about the death.  Mr. Birling is rather annoyed with the Inspectors surprise visit, because he was celebrating his daughters engagement and feels that having an Inspector question him will ruin his chance of being on the New years Honors list. Mr. Birling also feels that the death is his problem at all and that he should have nothing to do with it. This however is entirely wrong, as he was the one that started of the chain reaction that led Eva Smith to her devastating death. Mrs. Birling reacts really stubbornly. She feels that the Inspector was rude towards her, and she too does not see why the Inspector is bringing her in to this as has far as she can see, she was not to blame at all for the death.  The Inspector has a big effect on Sheila. He claims that he often makes a great impression on the younger ones, We often do on the younger ones, they are more impressionable. Sheila is the only one who really hears what the Inspector is actually saying, and feels great sympathy and regret about what had happened. She is not to scared to admit to the Inspector that she knows she was in the wrong, no other character was brave/stronger enough to do this. The Inspectors theory about the younger ones must be correct. Gerald does not seem to have much of an effect from the Inspector. He seems quite calm about the whole situation, but then the Inspector is a bit nicer towards Gerald as he was the only one who made Eva Smith happy. Gerald leaves half way through the dinner. The biggest effect that the Inspector has on Gerald is that he breaks up their engagement by informing Sheila that Gerald had been having an affair. Gerald almost does not trust the Inspector and sees through his sneaking little ways, as later he questions people about Inspector Goole actually being an Inspector. Eric Birling, also one of the younger one, has a big effect from the Inspector. He realizes what he had done, and is angry with him self for not being able to help Eva and his baby, he also is mad with himself for stealing money from his father. He is feeling great regret about his actions. The Inspector makes Eric feel as if he killed his own child. Eric is very hurt and angry with himself.  The Inspector was trying to effect the Birlings life as he is trying to teach them a lesson about how to behave with others. He said that they have an effect on the younger ones, Sheila and Eric were the only Birlings who actually realized what they had done. The Inspector probably did change their lives. However, Mr. and Mrs. Birling did not feel any different after the Inspectors visit, as they are too stubborn to see they are in the wrong. This is quite sad as they were the main problem and they brought their children up that way, treating others badly, but they can not do a thing to change themselves.

Human Genome Project: Legal, Ethical and Social Implications

Human Genome Project: Legal, Ethical and Social Implications In this dissertation we consider the human genome project in its wider context. We take a brief overview of the aims, the working and the sequencing techniques used together with the timeline achieved. The ability to sequence genes has given a greater understanding of the human genome. This understanding has thrown up a great many legal, social medical and ethical problems and dilemmas which clearly need tube both addressed and solved. This dissertation looks at many of the issues, analyses them, and considers some of the possible solutions. We primarily consider the situation in the UK, but comparisons are drawn with the arguably more litigious society in the USA, particularly in consideration of the legal implications of the subject. We make a consideration of the ethical position of researchers, medical professionals and also individuals whether they are considered as research subjects or simply as private citizens. We draw conclusions from our findings and present them. Introduction The Human Genome Project (HGP) was a vast and ambitious concept which was conceived in the 1980s and formally started in 1990, the main stated aim of which was to achieve the mapping of the entire human genome. It was originally anticipated that the process would take approximately 15 years and was therefore scheduled to be complete in2005/6 but the advances in technological hard and software improved sequencing ability to the extent that the entire undertaking was actually completed in 2003. The project itself involved over 1,000 principal scientists in over 200Universities, Government laboratories and private facilities. The stated and defined primary goals of the project were to: identify all the approximately 20,000-25,000 genes in human DNA, determine the sequences of the 3 billion chemical base pairs that make up human DNA, store this information in databases, improve tools for data analysis, transfer related technologies to the private sector, and address the ethical, legal, and social issues that may arise from the project. (after Collins FS et al 1998), Although the project was primarily about the sequencing of the human genome, part of the intrinsic preparatory work was carried out in the sequencing techniques of other organisms such as E Coli and Drosophila(the fruit fly) Brief description of the genome The genome of an organism is a term which relates to the sum total of the DNA of the organism. This is replicated in virtually every cell in the organism and it should be noted that it includes not only the nuclear DNA but the extra-nuclear DNA as well. It is the basic code for making all of the constituent proteins and thereby it is the ultimate determinant of the various processes that occur within the organism. The human genome has approximately 3 billion base pairs (abbreviated as A T G C). These are arranged in sequential style in the DNA double helix and are unique to an individual. There are large areas of repetition and large areas which appear to be â€Å"biologically silent† but we shall discuss this in rather greater detail later in this dissertation. (Nichols, E.K. 1998) Sequencing techniques used The eventual sequence derived in the human genome project does not represent anyone individual’s genome. The original samples were taken from multiple sperm and blood (from females) donations which were mixed and sent to labs across the world. The differences were comparatively insignificant as the vast majority (99.7+%) of the genomic sequence is identical in every individual.(Collins et al 2001) Sperm is used, as the DNA : protein ratio is higher in sperm than for other cells and is therefore easier to prepare. It should be noted that sperm contains both the male and female sex chromosomes (X Y) so equal numbers of each were added to the samples and the blood DNA was added to ensure that female derived DNA was also present. The original sequencing techniques (in the 1990s) were primarily those of gel electrophoresis, which is slow, labour intensive and expensive. It was reported that the entire human genome project team managed to sequence 200Mb of gene in 1998. Advances in technology and automotive processing allowed one participant (DOE Joint genome institute) to sequence 1.5 billion bases in one month in January 2003. (Soga, Kakazuet al 2004) It was the discovery and large-scale implementation of the capillary gel electrophoresis technique that was mainly responsible for these advances. One of the major advantages of the capillary tube method is that the comparatively larger surface area of the capillary tube allows for greater heat dissipation which was the rate limiting step for the older models as too much heat would melt the gel carrier. (Tsai et al.2004) The actual mechanism for sequencing is extremely complex but in essence each chromosome, which comprises between 50 and 250 million base pairs, is fragmented into more manageable size pieces. (the sub cloning step).Each piece is then set up as a template from which a set of smaller fragments are generated, each one is a base pair shorter than the parent (the template preparation and sequencing reaction steps). (Marsha et al 2004) The resulting fragments are separated by electrophoresis which is an ideal method because of their differing size (separation step). The end base of each fragment is then identified (base-calling step). Automated sequencers then can analyse the resulting patterns which will give representation of the base order which is then â€Å"reassembled† into blocks of about 500 bases each (for ease of handling the data) . Number of very sophisticated computer programmes then analyse the raw data for potential errors and can identify specific genes and silent areas (Krill P et al 2000) Once sequenced, the final details are placed in the public domain such as Embank for open access to all. We have made several references to the draft and final sequences. The explanation of the difference lies in the fact that there are both intrinsic errors in the processing and also in the variability of the genetic material used. The original draft sequence was published in June 2000. This was the result of each area being analysed at least 4-5times to minimise the errors. This original data was presented inspections of about 10,000 base pairs and the chromosomal locations of the genes were known at this stage. A higher quality â€Å"final† reference sequence was published in April 2003which represented a 8-9 fold sequencing of every chromosome to fill in gaps and to minimise errors which were quoted as being no more than one in 10,000 bases (Kaiser et al 2004) Human genome project timeline 1990 Official commencement of HGP work Apr. 1998 HGP passes sequencing midpoint March 1999 Target completion date for â€Å"Human genome Working Draft† accelerated to early 2000 Dec 1999 Human Chromosome 22 sequenced (first human chromosome ever sequenced) May 2000 Human Chromosome 21 sequenced March 2000 Drosophila genome completed April 2000 Draft sequences of Human Chromosome 5, 16 19 completed June 2000 Working draft of DNA sequence achieved Dec 2001 Human Chromosome 20 sequenced Dec 2002 Complete Mouse genome draft publication Jan 2003 Human Chromosome 14 sequenced June 2003 Human Chromosome Y sequenced July 2003 Human Chromosome 7 sequenced Oct 2003 Human Chromosome 6 sequenced March 2004 Human Chromosome 13 19 sequenced May 2004 Human Chromosome 9 10 sequenced Sept 2004 Human Chromosome 5 sequenced Oct 2004 Human gene count estimates changed from 20,000 to 25,000 Dec 2004 Human Chromosome 16 sequenced March 2004 Human Chromosome X sequenced April 2005 Human Chromosome 2 4 sequenced Legal issues Patenting The whole issue of patenting the genome and the offshoots of the project caused an enormous furore in medical, scientific and pharmaceutical circles. The opposing ends of the spectrum argued that, on the one hand, the benefits of such a fundamentally important piece of work should be freely available for the human race in general and the scientific community in particular, to the other who believed that the money to be made by the commercial exploitation of the genome could be used to finance other related projects. (Nuffield 2002) The culmination of the argument was that the genome was fragmented and patented piecemeal. In order to fully understand the implications of this we must explore the workings of the patent system. In the UK, patents are issued by the Patent Office. Applications must be received within 18 months of the discovery (it is 3 years in the USA). Once granted, they remain in force for 20 years from the date of issue. In order to be considered suitable for a patent to be issued a product must generally satisfy four criteria, namely: Useful – the patent application must be accompanied by some practical application of the invention (whether it has actually been applied or has been proposed in a purely theoretical sense) Novel – it must be a new, or previously unknown entity. Non-obvious –it must be a significant modification that is not simply a minor adjustment made by someone with appropriate skill and training in that particular area Detailed – the item must be described in sufficient detail to allow person who has appropriate training in the field to use it for the purpose for which it was designed. This is often referred to as the â€Å"enablement criterion† ( after Cochran and Cox. 1997) The academic argument referred to earlier was intensified by the knowledge that raw products of nature are not generally patentable. Special provision had to be made by the agencies on both sides of the Atlantic to allow for patents to be issued for genetic material. The general guiding principal in issuing patents is that they are issued on a â€Å"first to invent† basis. Where a specific application is not immediately obvious (as is the case with many pharmaceutical and bio-tech products), provisional patents can be applied for and enforced for up to one year after either discovery or publication of the findings. This is a mechanism to allow for the full implications of the finding to be worked out and patented.(Nickols F 2004) In specific reference to our considerations here, we should note that with bio-tech discoveries in general and DNA patents in particular, coincident with the application for a patent, the applicant is required to deposit a sample of their discovery in any one of 26 designated biological culture repositories which are distributed throughout the world. (Bjorn tad DJ, et al. 2002) It is a reflection of both the scale and importance of this work to appreciate that to date, there have been over 3 million separate genome-related applications for patents received on file throughout the world. The legal ramifications of this process are huge. In the UK, USA and Japan (where the bulk of the applications for genome-related patents are filed) the system requires that the details of the applications are kept completely confidential until the full patent is finally issued. As we have discussed, this process can take up to a year. (Brown,2000) The corollary of this fact is that those scientists and companies who utilise the data ( which is available on the Internet) to evaluate clinical or pharmaceutical applications of gene sequences risk the issuing of a future injunction if it transpires that those particular sequences have been the subject of a previous patent application which has subsequently turned out to be successful. (Morris AH 2002) The 3 million genome related patents include the genes themselves, gene fragments, tests for specific genes, various proteins and stem cells. To satisfy the Patent Office the four tests set out above are specifically modified to accommodate genetic material thus: (1) identify novel genetic sequences, (2) specify the sequences product, (3) specify how the product functions in nature i.e., its use (4) enable one skilled in the field to use the sequence for its stated purpose (after Caulfield 2003) Even this is not completely sufficient for the current needs of science. If we take the example of gene fragments. Their function is often not known although their structure almost invariably is. The practical applications can be extremely vague. A quoted utility of a gene fragment has been cited as â€Å"providing a scientific probe to help find another gene†. Clearly it could cause substantial practical difficulties if a patent were to be issued on such a basis, and the subsequent usage was found to be substantially different, it would not invalidate the patent. The significance of this can be fully appreciated if we consider that the typical gene fragment, comprising about 500 bases (known as expressed sequence tags or ESTs) actually represent typically about20-30% of the active chromosomal genetic material, the full chromosome may be about 40-60 times larger than this. The active chromosomal genetic material is often referred to as canal and typically only contains its information-rich (or exon) regions. The scientific importance of these gene segments are that they represent very useful tools for research as they can duplicate the actions of genes, can be synthesised in the laboratory, and remove the need for scientists to manipulate the entire gene. (HUGO 2000) It can therefore be clearly be appreciated that such gene fragments are very useful tools in genetic research and the granting of patents touch entities has sparked off another major controversy in the scientific community. There have been major representations to the various Patent Offices throughout the world not to grant such patents to these universally important entities to applicants who have neither determined the base sequence of the genes nor yet determined their function and possible uses. As a result of this, the UK and USA Patent Offices decided to issue more stringent guidelines (effective as from 2001) which required that an application for patent of a gene fragment must now specifically state how the fragment functions before a patent can be issued. The wording is specific and substantial utility that is credible, but is still considered by many to be too indeterminate. (Thompson 1992) The basis behind the objections stem from the two main arguments already put forward. Firstly the patenting of such a â€Å"bottleneck or gatekeeper† product can seriously hinder the eventual development or even the characterisation of more complex molecules. Secondly, scientists are obviously wary of utilising such entities because of the possible financial constraints and penalties that would be imposed if the particular entity that they were using subsequently was found to bathe subject of a provisional (and therefore initially secret) patent application. In essence the patent of the gene fragment could be taken out after a comparatively small amount of scientific work and exert totally disproportionate control over the possible commercial and scientific development of more advanced genome research. (Schwarz D teal 1997), There are also less obvious, but very practical, implications to this type of patenting. Let us consider the situation where patents have been separately applied for, and granted to gene fragments, the gene and various proteins that the gene expresses. Any scientist wishing to-do research in that area has not only to pay the various license holders for permission to use their patented entity, but there are also hidden costs in the research necessary to determine where (and whether)the patents have been granted. (Short ell SM et al 1998), Not all research has been hampered or driven by the restrictive practices that the issuing of patents inevitably promotes. Let us consider the case of the Welcome Foundation who, in collaboration with ten other smaller pharmaceutical concerns, agreed to form a non-profitmaking consortium whose stated goal was to find and map out an initial300,000 common single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). To date they have discovered nearly 2 million. In a truly philanthropic gesture they generated a publicly available SNP map of the human genome in which they patented every SNP found solely for the purpose of preventing others from making financial profit from them and making the information available to the public domain. The SNP is a single variation in the base sequence in the genome and they are found, on average, about one in every 500 base units. It can occur in an active or in a non-coding region. The effect will clearly vary depending upon the actual site of the variation but they are believed to be a fundamental cause of genetic variation which could give researchers important clues into the genetic basis of disease process or variations in responsiveness to pharmaceuticals. (Russell SJ1997) In addition it is believed that SNPs are responsible for variations in the way that humans respond to a multitude of potential pathogens and toxins. The SNP is therefore an invaluable tool in the research behind multifactorial disease process where complex environmental and genetic interactions are responsible for the overall phenotypic expression of the clinical disease state. (Santis,G et al 1994). We have referred in passing to the arguments that are currently raging relating to the issues on patenting genetic material. We should therefore consider the question of why patent at all? Would we be better off if the patent offices did not accept patents of genetic material? On first examination of the situation one might think that scientific investigation, in general terms, might proceed faster if all scientists had unlimited and free access to all information in the public domain. More careful consideration suggests however, the laws relating to intellectual property are built on the assumption that unless ownership and commercial profits can be reasonably secure (by means such as patents) few organisations would be willing to make the substantial investment that is typically necessary for development and research. The reasoning behind the mechanism of patenting intellectual property is therefore the marrying together of the need to secure a potential income from one’s work with the ability to allow the transparency of full publication of one’s discoveries which will therefore allow others to consider and utilise the information in their own research. (Berwick. 1996) Consideration of this point will suggest that the only other effective means of safeguarding the costs of one’s research would be total secrecy which clearly would not be in the general interest of the scientific community. If we add to the general thrust of this argument, the fact that, in general terms, the costs of development(post-invention) far outweigh the costs of research (pre-invention) we can see the economic sense in allowing innovative research-based firms the financial security of development by preserving the profit incentives by means of the Patent. (DGP 2002) In general terms we could view the patent mechanism as a positive development.(McGregor D 1965). Perhaps it is the breadth and number of the patents allowed in the field of genomic research that is the prime cause of unease in the scientific community. Special cases The arguments presented above can be broadened further if one of the natural extensions of the human genome project is the research into the possibility of cloning. We will not consider the (currently totally illegal) possibility of human cloning per se, but the therapeutic embryo cloning for the purposes of harvesting human stem cells. Such cells have immense potential for the study and therapy of a great number of disease process. As such they have enormous value as both intellectual and commercial property. The background to our discussion here includes consideration of the fact that courts in both the UK and the USA (Diamond v. Chakrabarty1980) have set precedents that single celled organisms (genetically modified bacteria) were intrinsically patentable. Legal argument then followed and shortly after there were similar rulings in favour of the patentability of simian stem cells. It logically follows that human stem cells should be afforded the same legal protection. The problem arises then that such a move would offend other legal principles such as technical ownership of another human being.(PGA 2001) Clearly there are enormous, and some would say insurmountable, difficulties in this region. We present this point simply to illustrate the potential difficulties surrounding ownership of the human genome. Broader legal issues Matters relating to the legal implications arising from the human genome project already fill countless volumes and we do not propose to make an exhaustive examination of the subject. There are however, number of major issues that arise either directly or indirectly from this project. They are largely interlinked with major social and ethical considerations and society, as a whole, has looked to the law to provide authoritative answers to some of them. (Stripling R et al.1992) One of the major problems associated with the potential ability to decipher the human genome is what to do with the information that it gives us. The ability to â€Å"read genes† brings with it the ability to discriminate with increasing degrees of subtlety. Discrimination is inevitably linked (historically, at least) with varying degrees of injustice. Whether it is the more obvious forms of discrimination such as insurance loading on the basis of predisposition to disease traits or more insidious and pernicious scenarios such as the ability to discriminate by genetic association with various ethnic groups, the ability is there. Will it become acceptable to refuse a mortgage application on the grounds that a person has been found to have a genetic disposition towards gastric cancer? Could health insurance premiums be based on an interpretation of various aspects of one’s genome? Some lawyers have already voiced their concerns about the ability of the law to provide genetic defences where it may be possible to challenge prosecutions on the ability to undermine the ethical principle of the validity of individual responsibility. The concept of free-will may be legally challenged in the prospect of discovery of various genetic traits that may predispose the individual to any one oaf number of behaviour patterns such as antisocial or thrill-seeking behaviour or violence. (Laurie G 2004) We currently accept that some manifestations of the human genome are now routinely enshrined in virtually unchallengeable law. DNA identification in criminal law is commonplace and scarcely questioned. Paternity suits are settled on the basis of genetic make-up. It doesn’t take a quantum leap of intuition to appreciate that there may soon be potential negligence cases brought against physicians and the like who fail to warn patients against the possibility of developing the ever increasing number of disease processes that are thought to have a genetic predisposition or component. The converse of that dilemma is should we expect physicians to suppress information found by genetic testing if there is no known cure? It follows that if we do not then people could be condemned to live with the knowledge that they are statistically likely to develop any one oaf number of diseases that they may very well, in other circumstances, have chosen to live in ignorance of. (Hyde, SC et al. 1993) Such cases have already surfaced, unsurprisingly in the USA. The estate of a colonic cancer victim unsuccessfully tried to sue a physician who failed to warn him about a genetic predisposition to colonic cancer from which he subsequently died. (Safer v Estate of Peck 1996) Some measures have been taken to try to protect exploitation of the genetic status of individuals where it is known. In the USA, some 16states have enacted laws to prevent both health and other insurance companies from using any form of genetic information to load premiums or to refuse cover. The initial reaction to these moves was one of delight, but it soon became clear that this was only of any potential value when the individual was asymptomatic. There was no bar to premium levels once the symptoms became apparent. To some extent, although the same level of legal prohibition does not apply in the UK, there is little difference. In this country, insurance companies will still load premiums or refuse cover once symptoms are apparent. (Rothstein MR1999) Social and medical considerations As we have implied earlier in this piece, the fundamental nature and importance of the human genome project to humanity as a whole means that its impact has great implications for the fields of law, ethics and social considerations. This is hardly surprising as, at the most basic level, all these three considerations are inextricably linked. Many of the social implications are also tied up with medical considerations and therefore we shall consider both of these elements together. Humans, as a race, have about 3 million pairs of bases that determine their genetic identity. Interpersonal differences between individual humans however, are determined by only one tenth of one present of our collective DNA. These three million base pairs are ultimately responsible for the physical and perhaps behavioural diversity that we observe in our species. (Erickson 1993) It is in the nature of inheritance that this variation has accumulated across the generations by small mutations or variations in the base sequences. These small differences are ultimately responsible for all human diversity including many overt disease process and predisposition or resistance to others. It is clearly important where these mutations take place as some have no functional effect, others may confer some form of advantage or benefit (and thereby the motive factor behind the evolutionary processes) others may cause disease or even be incompatible with life.(Griesenbach U et al 2002), It can be argued that all disease process have at least a genetic component. It can be completely due to a genetic malfunction such as the defect in the single gene for the cystic fibrosis transmembraneconductance regulator (CFTR) which results in an abnormal expression of one protein (the protein is still expressed, but due to one amino acid irregularity it folds in a different way) which results in the clinical situation of cystic fibrosis. (Piteous DJ et al 1997). Equally it may be due to a variation in the genetic code that modifies how the immune system responds to a particular pathogen (Yoshimura, K et al. 1992). As we understand how our genome influences literally every aspect of our health we will inevitably discover more ways to combat and tackle the diseases of mankind. Before we move on to discuss overtly social and ethical considerations we should logically extend the appraisal and examination of the medical issues, as they have a pronounced bearing on these other areas. With the advent of a greater understanding of the human genome and the cellular mechanisms of regulation and disease comes the prospect of gene therapy. On the one hand, the potential benefits for the sufferers of single gene mutation syndromes such as Tay Asch’s disease and Sickle Cell Anaemia are clear and undisputed, and yet the same technology has enormous social and ethical ramifications. There are thought to be about 4,000 single gene defect syndromes known to medical science at present (Termite, S et al 1998). These are the prime targets for the gene therapy researchers There are also an enormous number of more complex, but still primarily genetically determined disease process, such as Alzheimers Disease and schizophrenia, together with the commoner Diabetes Mellitus and hypertension variants which, although having a genetic component, are thought to be manifested after a period of interaction with environmental factors. It is quite possible that the techniques of gene therapy could ultimately be applied to these conditions as well.(Sikorski R et al 1998), Social and medical benefits The advent of understanding of gene function leads to other developments in the fields of both diagnostics and possibly preventative medicine. There is already considerable debate in pharmaceutical circles about the ability of researchers to utilise genetic information to make predictive assumptions about the ability of individuals to metabolise drugs. (Sailor R et al. 1998).One of the big problems with pharmacology is that, although a normal response to a particular drug can be predicted reasonably accurately, there are variations in genetic make-up which cause marked differences in threat of metabolism and excretion of some drugs. In many cases, these differences are of minor clinical importance, but in anaesthetic and cytotoxic drugs, the differences can be lethal. (Wriggle DJ 2004). As extension of this thread of argument is that it is known that some malignancies will respond well to some cytotoxic agents while others will show no response at all. The point behind these comments is that there are considerable efforts in the pharmaceutical industry to identify the particular regions of the genome which are ultimately responsible for these differences. If they can be found it follows that they may either be capable of modification (by gene therapy or other mechanism) or their effect can be measured so that the dose (or even the type) of medication can be adjusted with far more confidence in the knowledge of the likely pharmacodynamics of that individual patient.(Spindle et al 2002). It is the ultimate hope and goal of these efforts that the pharmaceutical industry will ultimately be able to speed up the process of drug development, make the drugs faster and more effective while dramatically reducing the number of adverse drug reactions observed. Social and medical difficulties Gene tests are currently in the process of being developed as a direct result of the human genome project. Some are already commercially available. the social implications here are huge. Quite apart from the medical implications of being able to predict the likelihood of possibly developing certain disease processes, there are legal and social applications as well. Courts have been presented with the results of gene tests in cases as diverse as medical malpractice, privacy violations, criminal cases and even child custody battles.(Diamond. B. 2001) The immediate difficulty in this area is, firstly that there is insufficient knowledge to be able to interpret the results of the gene tests with 100% accuracy. This, when combined with the knowledge that many of the conditions that currently can be tested for have no known or successful treatment, leads to enormous social and ethical dilemmas. While it may be considered quite reasonable to tell a person that they are carrying a defective gene for cystic fibrosis ( as a carrier state, rather than a symptomatic individual) and thereby allow them to make positive decisions with regard to whether they choose to run the risk of passing that particular gene on to future generations. Is it reasonable to tell someone in their 20s that they are likely to develop Alzheimer’s Disease in their 60s? How will that knowledge impinge upon their approach to life? (Douglas C 2002) Equally how will such knowledge affect the eventual application and acceptance of health insurance policies which are currently worked out on

circumstances in make lemonade Essay -- essays research papers

Circumstances   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Circumstances; they rule our lives. One has if not no control, then VERY little control, over their actions when they are placed in harsh circumstances. It is very difficult to break through your surroundings, to beat everyone around you.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There is a quote â€Å"Circumstances rule men and not circumstances.† The idea of this quote, that one doesn’t have control over their turnout when they are placed in harsh circumstances, shows up in other places as well. There is another quote which is similar to this one. The quote is â€Å"Circumstances define us; they force us on one road or another then they punish us for it†. â€Å"Circumstances define us†¦Ã¢â‚¬  we are only who the people around us make us out to be. We take after our surroundings. It is hard to stay away from bad things, if all that surrounding us is bad. It is difficult to resist peer pressure. In the novel Make Lemonade, by Virginia Ewer Wolf, LaVaughn wants out. She wants to get away from all of the violence, all the drugs. She wants to get out of where she lives, which is very similar to the projects, some neighborhoods near her ARE the projects, and to go to college. She wants to escape from all of the peer pressure. She understands that she is not capable of becoming the type of woman she wants to be if she never experiencing life outside of her circumstances, life outside of drugs, violence and other things of the sort. Her surroundings, the circumstance...

Mats Ek Essay

Introduction In this essay I will present one of the greatest choreographers of the 20th century, Mats Ek. I will describe his specific stylistic characteristics, themes and dance vocabulary bringing as examples some of his most important re-adapted works such as Giselle, Swan Lake and Sleeping Beauty. Life and career Mats Ek was born in Malmo, Sweden on the 18 of April 1945. He came from a very culturally active background: he was the son of a famous Swedish actor Anders Ek and the internationally recognized choreographer Birgit Cullberg, founder and director of the Cullberg Ballet, his sister Malin was an actress and his brother Niklas a dancer. Mats Ek started his dance studies (Martha Graham technique) with Doya Feur in 1962 alongside with drama studies. In 1965 he became a full time drama student at the Marie College but few years later he returned to dance training at the Stockholm Ballet Academy. His first theatrical working experience began as the producer and then director of the Puppet Theatre in Stockholm. During the season 1980-1981, he was associated with the Nederland Dans Theater as dancer as well as choreographer. Few years later he joined the Cullberg Ballet as a dancer and in 1985 he became the artistic director of it, he directed the company for eight years. He left it in 1993 b eing replaced from Lidstrom and Wennergren Juras. Re-making of the ballet classics â€Å"Over ten years ago I saw it(Giselle) for the first time- with Makarova. She was really gripped me. Already then, I thought the traditional story of Giselle contains many hidden possibilities which are not recognized. There are various trails leading inside, but they are not utilized. They lie fallow or else are powered over† (Ek, Mats interviewed by Tegeder, Ulrich. Create characters, special people. Ballet International,5,1983:19) Mats Ek is a very innovative choreographer of his time, the post modern era. Postmodernism is a movement that rebels against traditional ideas. Mats Ek is an active man of his time fully absorbed by the rebellion that was happening those years. This new ideas incite him to rebel against the traditional ballet classics radically modifying them and giving his own interpretation of them. All of his works are still narrative works but the  storyline of all the ballets is updated. â€Å"The investigation of narrative alleys,epic paths and metaphorical tunnels is what provides the primary stimulus for re-telling those stories by creating new dances† (Giannandrea Poesio, Dancing Times, October 2003 page 23) His alternative storylines are pure reality not fairytales, he is not interested in abstract concepts, he change the conventional viewpoint putting on stage actual themes. He gives the audience a taste of contemporary reality. â€Å"A fairytale is a sweet little cottage, but on the door you can read: Explosive!† Mats Ek The most famous ballets he reinterpreted are traditional ballets such as Giselle (1982), Swan Lake (1987) and Sleeping Beauty (1996). Giselle Mats Ek’s Giselle is something completely different from Perrot’s original version. The character of the young Giselle is completely flipped over; she is not the sixteen years old innocent girl but a passionate and sexual active woman. In Giselle in fact, Ek introduces and shows sexuality and love seen such a sexual one and not a romantic one anymore. (https://secure.staatsoper.de/) Swan Lake â€Å"A lonely, somewhat weaker than the-average-Prince-Siegfried, who questions his sexuality (think Oedipus complex) and his mother’s open issues in attempting to marry him to someone just like herself. The Prince encounters  androgynous creatures, swans that waddle through the ground rather than the graceful water creatures that we know from Petipa/Ivanov.† (http://www.theballetbag.com/2012/07/13/mats-ek-biography/) (http://www.criticaldance.com/reviews/2002/cullberg_swanlake-021023.html) Sleeping Beauty â€Å"The teenager Princess Aurora falls in love with â€Å"the wrong guy† and ends up in a drug-induced coma. Carabosse appears as a drug dealer and tempts Aurora into pricking her finger with the â€Å"needle†. At Aurora’s birth the fairies are maternity nurses and later they are pop culture characters out of a TV show, while the Prince is a spectator.† (http://www.theballetbag.com/2012/07/13/mats-ek-biography/) â€Å"Ek has made an astounding break from the Sleeping Beauty we know and love, leaving not a single stone of Petipa’s edifice standing, renouncing all the choreographic gems cut by the imperial jeweller of the Tsarist ballet† (Vollmer, Horst. Irreverently Classical: Mats Ek stages Sleeping Beautywith the Hamburg Ballet. Ballet International,7,1996:19) Tà ¶rnrosa – Gà ¶teborgsOperans Balett (http://www.danzaballet.com/?p=3497) There are also some works that seem not to follow a precise storyline like Smoke (1995) or Appartement (1999) but they can’t be described as abstract works because oh their strong content. Stylistic elements of his choreography Mats Ek choreography has two main characteristic elements: clarity and irony. All of his choreographies have a direct and immediate message, really easy to understand by the audience. With the new version of the traditional  ballets in fact Ek wants to go straight to the point in the shortest time possible opposing his works to the articulate and often ambiguous traditional ballets. â€Å"Clarity is the choreographer’s key word, as opposed to what he calls the ambiguity of the conventions and the clichà © of classical ballet, â€Å"clarity†, however, should not be mistaken of simplicity. In both Giselle and Swan Lake there lies beneath an accessible, straightforward dramatic construction an intricate amalgam os social, political, cultural and literary references† (Fifty Contemporary choreographers) Another important element of Ek’s choreography, as the quote above suggests, is the dramatic construction of his works. Ek does not just present dramatic situations to the audience but he creates all around an atmosphere of irony. â€Å"Irony is a characteristic element of Ek’s choreography, in which strong images and dramatic situations often contrast with brief, humorous episodes† (Fifty Contemporary choreographers second edition) â€Å"Even amidst the darkest and most poignant moments of a not-so-happy-ending situation, he manages to insert fire-cracking comic sections or references that enhance greatly the dramatic build up by creating a unique game of contrasts and choreographic chiaroscuro† (Giannandrea Poesio, Dancing Times, October 2003 page 25) Clear examples can be found in Giselle and Swan Lake: The two male peasants’ comic duet in front of Albrecht’ fiancà ©e just before the arrival of the aristocratic and the end of the act in Giselle. The three jesters’ dances just before the end of the lack scene in Swan Lake. These comic episodes are introduced with great ability every time a dramatic situation reaches its climax. Themes â€Å"Political, social, racial and sexual concerns informed Ek’s first three creations, Kalfaktorn (1976), St George and the Dragon (1976) and Soweto (1977); psychological themes and gender issues played a part in both House of Bernarda Alba (1978) and Antigone (1979) long before Giselle and Swan Lake† (Fifty Contemporary choreographers second edition) The main interest of the choreographer is to explore the human psychology  and the human relationships. â€Å"In reworking ballet classics, Ek’s creed is to render the characters alive, providing a clear description of their inner emotions and contrasts. The psychological characterization of the role is thus enlarged; the characters’ relationships and their emotional response to the development of the action are considered in greater depth † (Fifty Contemporary choreographers second edition) There are various examples of different human relationships in Ek’s works: Man/Woman in Smoke. â€Å"In â€Å"Smoke† Mats Ek shows the relationship between a man and a woman (Niklas Ek and Sylvie Guillem). Each of them has his/her own life as expressed in their respective solos. They meet and mingle tenderly and violently in two pas de deux. The smoke which comes from their clothes and mouths expresses their communication.† (http://nycdancestuff.wordpress.com/2012/04/09/smoke-by-mats-ek-imz-dance-screen-award-1996-with-niklas-sylvie-guillem/) Family relationships (parent/ child) in Swan Lake as Prince Siegfried are given an oedipal complex or in Sleeping Beauty when Aurora turns against her  parents. Close to this is the very theme of â€Å"motherhood† that is explored many times as well as the one about gender issues in his works. In Giselle, for example, the only activity conducted by the women is giving birth as the eggs brought on stage by the peasant woman seem to suggest. Gender issues are overall explored in The house of Bernarda Alba (1980) since the main character is performed by a man and in Carmen where the main character seems to be much more masculine than her man. Ek is, once again, fighting against traditions; he rebels against the traditional way of characterizing by stylized movements man and woman on stage. Ballet pieces tend to prefer some movements to be performed by female dancers and different ones by males. Ek instead tries â€Å"to cross the boundaries of given gender-specific movements, finding that really interesting† (Ek,Mats in Jensen,Gunilla, Intervista a Mats Ek, Reggio Emilia Danza: Edizioni del teatro municipale Valli,2002, p.38) â€Å"The movement language usefully opens up gender binaries leading to much more contemporary representations of man and woman. He exposes complexities of gender by inverting the far more conventional, steryotiped and idealised figures of traditional ballet† (Midgelow Vida, Reworking texts- inverting bodies, Mats Ek radically reconceived the classics, Ballet Theatre Journal) Rich and poor in Giselle. In this work Ek introduces the social theme of class differentiation. Giselle, completely in love with prince Albrecht who is clearly from a different social class, attempts to transgress the social rules. Finally she will be punished and rejected from her and Albrecht’s social class. White and black in Soweto (1977). The mechanical doll’s endless movements represent the white people’ prejudices against the blacks. They are repetitive movements and they symbolized the unchangeable ideas of the whites about the black people. Society and outsider in the second act of Giselle. Giselle is banished from  her social class and trapped into the mental hospital. This is a clear example of the society oppression. Giselle is banished because mentally disable and considered unable to find her place into the society again. (https://secure.staatsoper.de/922 -spielplan~ballett~veranstaltungen~vorstellung.html) Movement Vocabulary Mats Ek choreography is a totally new and innovative choreography. It is based on contemporary techniques. Ek gives much more importance to the body weight so his steps look more grounded and heavy. The dancers make a very good use of the floor. His movement language is really particular, there is a fluid use of the torso in contrast with the lower part of the body that is usually bend (bend knees). Very interesting is the constant research of opposition between inwards and outwards movements. The dancer seems first to perform a movement that reaches out from his body’s centre that ends being suddenly pulled back. Ek’s movement language reflect his themes and narrative intention, it goes against the original movements of the classical ballet. â€Å"Ek’s choreography inverts the traditional language of the ballet, he eschews ballet codes. He leaves behind the conventions of gendered vocabularies and the structured hierarchy of the pas de deux in favour of more diverse representations† (Midgelow Vida, Reworking texts- inverting bodies, Mats Ek radically reconceived the classics, Ballet Theatre Journal) A clear example is given by the swans in Swan Lake. In the traditional ballet in fact swans are seen as beautiful and ethereal animals perfectly synchronized with each other in every movement. Ek’s swans instead are â€Å"a set of independent earthly creatures that cross the stage with weighty gallops and stamping feet† (Midgelow, Vida). (http://www.cullbergbaletten.se/en/history) References Mats Ek’s experience in different art form really helped to develop his choreography. Mats Ek is not just a dancer but also an actor and puppeteer. In some of the choreographer’s works there are some clear references to literature. Ek seems to be strongly linked to the famous dramatis William Shakespeare. For example the relationship between Prince Siegfried and his mother can remind us the one between Hamlet and Gertrude. Influences and muses His mother, Birgit Cullberg, was the most important Ek’s influence. He dedicated a whole work to her: Old Children (1989). He learned a lot from her while he was sharing with her the artistic leadership of the Cullberg Ballet. There are lot of common themes between the two of them but different stylistic characteristics. Birgit’s style in fact was much more closer to balletic style. â€Å"The attention to psychological characterization, the sensitive portrayal of human feelings, the juxtaposition of strong images and humorous episodes can be seen as typical attributes of both Cullberg’s and Ek’s creations† (Poesio,Giannandrea. Fifty Contemporary Choreographers) (https://birgit+cullberg&oq=birgit+cullberg&gs) Ana Laguna, Ek’s wife, is the inspiring muse of the choreographer. She originated Giselle character, the Swan Queen in Swan Lake and the protagonist in Carmen. â€Å"The character of Giselle would have never been born without Ana Laguna† (Giannandrea Poesio) Ana Laguna, Mikhail Baryshnikov and Mats Ek (http://dansportalen.se/111/-fler-artiklar/nyhetsarkiv/1-23-2010-lena-andren-) Another great dancer who inspired him was Sylvie Guilleme. Ek created for her three works: Smoke, Wet Woman and Bye. Conclusion I enjoyed so much writing this essay. I think Mats Ek is an absolute genius, his choreographies are brilliant original and innovative. I love his reinterpretations of the three ballet classics, and his choreographic style. The movement vocabulary is unconventional and provocative. He is a choreographer simple and in its clarity and spontaneity we recognized his greatness. The messages arrive immediately to the audience, we do not need any explications or help to understand what the choreographer wants to say we just need to seat and enjoy the performance. Bibliography Book: Martha Bremser, Lorna Sanders. Fifty Contemporary Choreographers, Routledge Taylor. London and New York 2011. Accessed on 8th of April 2013 Articles: Pesio, Giannandrea. Mats Ek. The Dancing Times, October 2003. p 22. Accessed on the 12th of April 2013 Midgelow, Vida, Reworking texts-inverting bodies, Dancer Theatre Journal 15(2) 1999. p 4-7. Accessed on the 12th of April 2013 Jensen Gunilla, Mats Ek and the Cullberg Ballet, the Dancing Times. August 1997,p 993. Accessed on the 13th of April 2013