Nothing Can Be Good or Evil in Itself Essay -- Philosophy essays

Nothing Can Be Good or Evil in Itself    "Truth, beauty, and goodness are not eternal, objective realities which man discovers, but are the creative products of the human mind as it exercises its 'will-to-power'.   In other words, man is a creator of values." (Nietzsche) So what is good and evil, but that defined by man and therefore a purely subjective concept.   Could we, society, have one without the other?   By determining what is good, we in turn determine what is evil.   How do we know what they are; that is if they really exist?   One must first try to define what good and evil are before attempting to question their existence. What is good?   Is it the selfless act of a volunteer at a homeless shelter or an honest and truthful taxpaying citizen?   Webster's dictionary defines good as being of favorable character, wholesome, and virtuous. (Merriam-Webster)   "A good will is not good because of what it effects or accomplishes--because of its fitness for attaining some proposed end: it is good through its willing alone-that is, good in itself." (Kant)   In essence, the traditional sense of good is an act done only with the benefit of others in mind rather than for one's own personal interests.   However, for society to view this as good, an act must be intended to benefit society as a whole as well.  Ã‚   Dr. Martin Luther King's speech, I Have A Dream, is an excellent example of a good will affecting the society as a whole.   "King believed that the struggle for civil rights was a part of a larger struggle in which the forces of freedom and individuality, the forces of righteousness, would triumph over the forces of oppression and prejudice, the forces of ignorance." (King)   He stressed freedom as a right, as an overall good... ....   "I Have A Dream."   The Twentieth Century: Mirrors of Mind.   Second Edition, Revised.   Winston-Salem, North Carolina: Hunter Books, Incorporated, 1991.pp 138-140. Merriam-Webster of America.   The Merriam-Webster Dictionary.   Springfield, Massachusetts:   Merriam-Webster, Incorporated, 1997. pp 325-326. Mill, John Stuart.   "Utilitarianism."   Philosophy: A Literary and Conceptual Approach.   Third Edition.   New York: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, Incorporated, 1995.   pp 306-319. Nietzsche, Friedrich.   "Beyond Good and Evil."   The Twentieth Century: Mirrors of Mind.   Second Edition, Revised.   Winston-Salem, North Carolina: Hunter Books, Incorporated, 1991. pp 16-20. Sartre, Jean-Paul.   "The Humanism of Existentialism."   Philosophy: A Literary and Conceptual Approach.   Third Edition.   New York: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, Incorporated, 1995. pp 434-443.

Plea-Bargains: Currency of the Courts An Examination of the Effectivene

â€Å"Rahim Jaffer case heads for plea-bargain†; former Alberta MP Rahim Jaffer was being charged on cocaine possession and drunk-driving charges; his case was likely to be resolved with a plea-bargain agreement (Makin, 2010). This is but one case of many that are settled though a plea-bargain agreement. Plea-bargaining can take the form of a sentence reduction, a withdrawal or stay of other charges, or, a promise not proceed on other charges, in exchange for a guilty plea by an accused. During discussion of a potential plea bargain agreement, the Crown Attorney and defence lawyer will look at 4 distinct sections of a plea negotiation: charge discussions, sentence discussions, procedural discussions, and agreements as to the facts of the offence and the narrowing of issues in order to expedite the trial ("Plea bargaining," 2011). According to the Department of Justice, approximately 90% of criminal cases are resolved each year by use of plea-bargaining (â€Å"Findlaw,† 2012). Despite what appears on its face to be rampant use of the plea agreement, plea negotiations are incredibly helpful to our court system. First, plea agreements serve to diminish the overload of cases and avoid lengthy trials, thus avoiding appeals of trial decisions and allowing greater access to the justice system. In turn, a less burdened court system can focus its efforts on the most serious of criminal offences thereby ensuring that such cases are handled in the manner with the greatest likelihood of securing a conviction. Overall, this judicial efficiency results in a cost savings and better allocation of resources. This paper will explore these two main benefits and also discuss potential criticisms of the plea bargain system. Plea-Bargaining has become... ..., 2012, from http://www.justice.gc.ca/eng/pi/icg-gci/pb4-rpc4.html Plea bargaining. (2011, February 28). Retrieved from http://www.victimsofviolence.on.ca/rev2/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=378&Itemid=197 Plea bargaining in canada. (2011). Retrieved from http://www.justice.gc.ca/eng/pi/rs/rep-rap/2002/rr02_5/p3.html Romaniuk, T. (n.d.). Centre for Constitutional Studies - R. v. Askov.Faculty of Law Home - University of Alberta. Retrieved April 19, 2012, from http://www.law.ualberta.ca/centres/ccs/rulings/Ask Tappscott. (2012). street directory. Retrieved from http://www.streetdirectory.com/travel_guide/14026/legal_matters/plea_bargaining_pros_and_cons.html Young, R. (2011, November 16). Cutbacks have some courts dismissing criminal cases. Here & Noe. Retrieved April 19, 2012, from http://www.hereandnow.wbur.org/2011/11/16/budget-cuts-court

Focus Group Research- Reliability, Validity, Replicability, Generalisability Essay

A focus group can be defined as a group interview- centered on a specific topic and facilitated and co-ordinated by a moderator or facilitator- which seeks to generate primarily qualitative data, by capitalizing on the interaction that occurs within the group setting. The idea behind the focus group method is that group processes can help people to explore and clarify their views in ways that be less easily accessible in a one to one interview. While the focus group opens up exciting analytical possibilities, it also gives rise to a number of potentially problematic issues in this respect. Definitions: Reliability- The quality of being reliable, dependable or trustworthy. Validity- The state or quality of being valid (having some foundation; based on truth) Replicability- Property of an activity, process, or test result that allows it to be duplicated at another location or time. Generalisability- Generalizability is a process in testing and statistics theory that takes a score from a sample of behaviors and applies them to the entire possible set of observations The group dynamics which take place in a focus group are central to its success. However, these interpersonal processes may cause problems in the interpretation of focus group data. One problem is that of the ‘censoring’ of dissenting views held by less confident participants within the group. The emergence of dissonant views and perspectives — what Kitzinger (1994b) calls ‘argumentative interactions’— often contributes importantly to the richness of focus group data, but may be artificially suppressed. Certain members of the group may be more assertive or articulate than others, and their views may come to dominate the proceedings; such individuals have been described as ‘thought leaders’ ( Henderson 1995). This reflects the tendency of those who find themselves in a minority to acquiesce to the majority view ( Asch 1951, Deutsch & Gerard 1955, Carey & Smith 1994). There is a further problem here. If a viewpoint which is shared by most of the group lies in one direction or other on the attitude continuum it may be exaggerated through what is known as a group polarization effect ( Turner 1991). The prevalent group viewpoint will tend to converge on the end of the continuum in question, but will also tend to be amplified in the process. In comparison, any divergent viewpoints will tend to be suppressed. Interestingly, when the topic in question is one which elicits an evaluative response from group members, Carey (1995) suggests that this convergence of viewpoint tends to be negative rather than positive. The more homogeneous the participants (which, as previously noted, is in other respects advantageous), the greater the likelihood of polarization. Another negative aspect is that the focus group output is not projectable. If a great deal of consistency in the results from a series of focus groups have been identified and it is very likely that the results from these sessions probably can represent a larger number of people. We can’t expect focus groups to be projectable in the same way as quantitative study findings can be. My last point about the disadvantages is that focus groups are a very artificial environment which can influence the responses that are generated. This is frequently the argument that ethnographers will use when recommending their methodology versus focus groups. Because researchers using the ethnographic technique will situate themselves in the real environment, that is unreachable for focus groups. In focus groups people are collected in a meeting room thus they might behave differently from how they behave when they are not watched and it will effect the quality of research results. But there is also a high number of advantages of focus group research . First of all the authority role of the moderator. The face-to-face involvement of a qualified moderator can ensure that the conversation is always on track, and encourage participants’ engagement without one individual dominating the meeting. Another point is the dynamic nature of the methodology. Due to the dynamic environment the moderator can modify the topics, which are prepared before the session to make the topic more suitable for the purpose. The Ability to involve the client personnel in the research Process is another important advantage. In traditional focus groups it is possible for the client personnel to watch the whole discussion behind a one-way mirror. The client personnel can provide their thinking to the moderator, which may help the moderator better handle the direction of discussion, and improve the quality of output. Also the capability to utilize non-verbal behavior as a research input can be useful . The expression, attitude of individual, the intensity of the conversation etc. can be perceived by the researcher, which can modify the moderator’s decision and also can be counted in the research result. Another positive aspect is the level of participant involvement in the research. Because every participant is under observation by the moderator and everybody know the process has been videotaped, it is easy to make participants fully engage even during non-discussion time. My last point is the greater security associated with focus group research. The possibility to screen each participant, lets the researcher know who have been involved. This ensures that for example your competition is not involved. (PBWorks, 2007, P. 1) Reliability of Focus Groups Reliability is the extent to which a measure (such as a focus group) is accurate and replicable. With focus groups, this could concern whether another focus group, of similar but different people, would give similar answers. Focus groups often have problems with reliability. These can be lessened if the moderator is highly trained and if questions are relatively specific. Validity of Focus Groups  Validity is the extent to which a measure measures what it purports to measure. For focus groups, this could mean whether it is reasonably certain that people are talking about what you think they are talking about. Focus groups tend to be strong on validity. ( Peter Flom, [N. D. ], P. 1) Generalizing from focus groups There are two perspectives from which the issue of generalizing from focus groups may be problematic. The first perspective sees the focus group as a sample from a target population — and thus presumably regards generalization as a legitimate goal — but recognizes a number of methodological barriers. Because focus group participants are often gathered together through a process of non-probability sampling, this will not provide the degree of representativeness of a larger population that may be achieved in, for example, some mail surveys. Furthermore, there is a tendency for the more self-confident and articulate individuals to be more willing to agree to take part in a focus group in the first place, and it may be necessary to provide inducements to encourage less forthcoming participants to come forward. The other perspective on the external validity of focus group data raises epistemological, not methodological, difficulties. This view would stress the fact that focus group data are firmly contextualized within a specific social situation. They therefore produce ‘situated’ accounts, tied to a particular context of interaction which may not be a particularly natural one for many participants. The conclusion that would seem to emerge on this issue is that generalization from focus group data is not impossible, but is of a very different nature from that displayed by orthodox quantitative approaches to research. Conclusion  The focus group has considerable potential as a means of gathering qualitative data. This potential will not, however, be realized unless due attention is paid to the problematic methodological issues to which the focus group gives rise. In this respect, the principal conclusions to arise are the following: The skills and attributes of the moderator and the manner of data recording will exert a powerful influence on the quality of the data collected in a focus group. Focus groups explore collective, not individual, phenomenology, and attempts to infer the latter from focus group data are likely to be unfounded. Focus group data may be a poor indicator of attitudinal consensus, though they may reveal a divergence of opinion and the extent to which certain issues recur across groups. Focus groups can reveal the nature and range of participants’ views, but less so their strength. Generalization from focus group data is problematic, but is likely to be more fruitful at the level of theoretical generalization than at that of empirical generalization. The use of focus groups is increasing at a faster rate than our knowledge about these qualitative research methods. Every indication , however, is that this environment is dynamically changing and will continue to do so over the next 50 years. To keep up with those changes more research on focus group methods is needed. Ultimately the best teacher is experience . Like most other research tools , proficiency comes with practice. This provides an opportunity to see a variety of groups interact and the way the moderator handles specific problems as they arise. We also have drawn attention to the limitations of focus group interviews as well as to their advantages. The greatest of the limitations associated with focus groups is that each group really represents a single observation. In the case of focus groups , the demand effects are likely to result from the composition of the group , the presence of a particularly dominant member of the group, the actions of the moderator , or some other group related factor. Thus, focus groups share many of the same limitations as many other research tools, including survey research and experimentation. The source of these limitations and problems may differ somewhat, but the problems are the same. All in all if you do it on the right way with the right tools, focus group research can be very helpful for your business to come up with new ideas and to find out the best way to act with your target groups.

Nursing in the Community Essay

In this assignment the topics discussed is a nursing problem related to a medical diagnosis taking from an example of a patient dealt with while the nursing student was out on clinical placement. For this assignment the patient has a diagnosis of Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus. Kevin Brophy (pseudonym) is a 9 year old boy that had come into the Paediatric Unit. He is of the Roman Catholic religion. He lives with only his mother and she is educated about his disease of Diabetes. His mother’s sister is a nurse also and knew how to manage his Diabetes and looked after him if his mother was busy. The multidisciplinary team have been treating him for the condition for 4 years. He gets hospitalized often to regulate his blood sugar levels and monitor his insulin intake. The nursing problem associated with his diagnosis is related to his diet and nutritional status and being able to monitor these with caution and ease. The nurse had a form for filling out what had he eaten that day and wha t time this had happened at in the ‘end of bed’ chart which was with his other documentation such as his vital signs and also the fluid balance intake and output chat. There was also a section in this form for documenting what level his blood sugars were and was directed to take record of them after every meal. The nurse then had an idea  of what sort of food he was eating and also a report of his blood sugars which were monitored closely throughout the day. The nurses primary responsibility was to ensure this boy was eating correctly and following the dietary guidelines of a Diabetic patient. The model of assessment/care used to treat Kevin was devised from Roper, Logan and Tierney (1980). The Roper, Logan and Tierney’s’ activity of living (AL) model of nursing consists of twelve activities of living. According to Aggleton & Chalmers (2000 P46), â€Å"Each AL specifies a relatively distinct type of human behaviour related to meeting a particular need.† Information was obtained from a booklet containing facts and advice on Diabetes and Healthy Eating from the Department of Health and Dietetics in Waterford Regional Hospital. This has described diabetes as a condition where the body is unable to control the amount of glucose i.e. sugar in the blood. Everyone’s blood has some glucose in it because your body needs glucose for energy. Normally your body breaks food down into glucose and sends it to the bloodstream. Insulin, a hormone made by the pancreas, helps to get the glucose from the bloodstream into the cells to be used for energy. In people with Type 2 Diabetes, the pancreas is not making enough insulin or is unable to use the insulin properly, or both. In people with Type 1 Diabetes, the pancreas is unable to make insulin full stop. Without insulin in the body, the blood glucose rises (Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Waterford Regional Hospital 2006). To manage diabetes in paediatrics is primarily challenging and m uch more complicated than dealing with the diagnosis in adults with Diabetes (DH Diabetes Policy Team 2007, Christie et al 2009). Nurses have to educate and facilitate the self management of Diabetes and also introduce skills to gain the best possible control over the patient’s blood sugars i.e. glycaemic control. If these skills are not executed properly then diseases such as micro-vascular e.g. nephropathy or retinopathy or cardiovascular diseases (macro-vascular), which decreases the quality of life and a reduced life span (The Diabetes Control and Complications Study Group,1994). The nurses and patients responsibility is to monitor and control the intake of food and also be educated on what can have a negative or positive effect on the body. This is a major nursing problem associated with the Diabetic patient and  intervention by the nurse is necessary throughout. In doing so, the nurse must follow the Nursing Process in relation to their diet. Assessment Patients diagnosed with type 1 Diabetes are assessed for signs of Diabetic Ketoacidosis, including ketonuria, Kussmaul respirations, orthostatic hypotension, and lethargy. The patient is asked about symptoms of DKA, such as nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain. Laboratory results are monitored for metabolic acidosis (i.e. decreased pH and decreased bicarbonate level) and for electrolyte imbalance. If the patient exhibits signs and symptoms of DKA, the nursing care first focuses on treatment of these acute complications, as outlined earlier. Once these complications are resolving, nursing care then focuses on long-term management of diabetes. The patient’s emotional status is assessed by observing his or her general demeanour (e.g., withdrawn, anxious) and body language (e.g., avoids eye contact). The patient is asked about major concerns and fears about diabetes; this allows the nurse to assess for any misconceptions or misinformation regarding diabetes. The nurse is also asse ssing the vital signs of the patient such as temperature, respiration, blood pressure etc. and develops a baseline of these results. In this case the patients normal vital signs were as follows : Temperature- 36.4ââ€" ¦, Blood Pressure- 114/70, Respiration rate- 18 breaths per minute. Nursing Diagnosis Based on the assessment data, the main diagnoses the nurse must adhere to are as following: Risk for fluid volume deficit in relation to polyuria and dehydration, imbalanced nutrition related to imbalance of insulin, food, and physical activity. The main ones that are focussed on in this essay are the imbalance of insulin and the patient’s diet. Planning The major goals for the patient may include maintenance of fluid and electrolyte balance, optimal control of blood glucose levels. The nurse would plan suitable charts and regimes for the patient to follow. Intake and  output are measured. IV fluids and electrolytes are administered as prescribed, and oral fluid intake is encouraged when it is permitted. Vital signs are monitored hourly for signs of dehydration (tachycardia, orthostatic hypotension) along with assessment of breath sounds, level of consciousness, presence of oedema, and cardiac status. If the patient agrees with the diet plan and increases his fruit and vegetable intake this can highly optimise nutritional health, promote a healthy image and reduce the chances of obesity (Lock et al., 2005). In Diabetes, diet is a chief obstacle in the control of the condition (Watson et. al 1997). The patient’s goals in agreeing with a healthy diet for their Diabetes are as follows: 1) To regulate and sustain lipid levels an d blood glucose back to their normal state. 2) To avoid fluctuations in their blood glucose levels during the day. 3) To manage and control a desirable body weight. 4) To prevent or hinder the growth or advancement of renal, neurological or cardiovascular difficulties (Watson et. al 1997). The nurse should introduce a dietary plan for the patient with the Diabetes. This controls the amount of calories that are needed for each day and the magnitude of these calories to be assigned to carbohydrate, protein and lipids. This is determined by a person’s age, weight, gender, activity and their dietary intake before they discovered the disease. In general, the amount of targeted calories allocated to each food type is in the region of 50-60% carbohydrate, 10-15% protein and under 30% of fat (Rees and Williams,1995). In the diet, the concentrated sugars should be strictly limited e.g. sweets, jam, cake, and should only represent a minute part of a meal to prevent rapid increase in the blood sugar levels. The unrefined carbohydrates such as whole-meal bread, fruit and vegetables, and also fibre-rich f oods, should be consumed as an alternative to the refined carbohydrates as mentioned before. Implementation Meal planning is put into practice, with the control of glucose as the primary goal. The nurse must consider factors before beginning to intervene such as the patient’s lifestyle, cultural background, activity level, and their food preferences. A suitable caloric intake allows the patient to achieve and maintain the desired body weight. The nurse would encourage the  patient to eat complete and wholesome meals including snacks that have been prescribed in the diet that the team has devised for Kevin. The nurse needs to take into consideration of the fluid intake and keeps records of IV and other fluid intake, also record urine output measurements. Hypoglycaemia is the most dreaded acute difficulty in the disease of Diabetes, and can be a major factor in the hindering of the metabolic control in the body. Night-time hypoglycaemia states, more common in the paediatric side of Diabetes, places an immense worry for the child themselves but also the parents, as it more likely to go unnoticed and care for (Nordfeldt S, Ludvigsson J 2005). Hypoglycaemia may occur if the patient skips or delays meals, does not follow the prescribed meal plan, or greatly increases the amount of exercise without modifying food intake and insulin. In addition, hospitalized patients or outpatients who fast in preparation for diagnostic testing are at risk for hypoglycaemia. Juice, milk, or glucose tablets are used for treatment of hypoglycaemia. The patient is encouraged to eat full meals and snacks as prescribed in the meal plan. If hypoglycaemia is a recurring problem, the whole dietary plan must be looked over and improved if needed. The risk of hypoglycaemia with rigorous insulin routines, it is of the utmost importance for the nurse to review with the patient the signs and symptoms, possible causes, and measures for prevention and treatment of hypoglycaemia. The nurse should emphasise to the patient and family the importance of having information on diabetes at home for refer ence. Evaluation After putting this plan into practice, the nurse found that it helped in the treatment and care of Kevin Brophy in managing and controlling his Diabetes. After following the Roper Logan and Tierney model of Nursing it helped understand his Activities of Daily Living and how the patient could work his new dietary plan into these ADL’s and control his blood glucose to prevent hypoglycaemia. Kevin will also be able to be knowledgeable of and carry out duties in a way to control his diabetes mellitus and also maintain adequate fluid volume in the body. He will be able to monitor his blood glucose periodically throughout the day, administer his own insulin, increase his own fluid balance and monitor his urine output. He should demonstrate a participation in activities that include having a proper diet, exercise and  lifestyle (Palandri, M.K. 1993). He also should be wary of and identify community, outpatient resources for obtaining further diabetes education. Conclusion To conclude, Kevin will need continuous assessment and advice on managing and controlling his Diabetes diagnosis. He will need support from his mother and also help from the multidisciplinary team that works with him and his mother in the hospital. In following the Roper Logan and Tierney model he will then be able to manage his ADL’s better and be more understanding with the condition of Diabetes. He will be able to control his dietary intake and follow a routine throughout life to deal with his diagnosis. References Aggleton, P., Chalmers, H. (2000)Nursing Models and Nursing Practice. (2nd edn). London: Macmillan. Lock, K., Pomerleau, J., Causer, L., Altmann, D.R. & McKee, M. (2005) The global burden of disease attributable to low consumption of fruit and vegetables. Bull. World. Health. Organ. 83, 100–8. Nordfeldt S, Ludvigsson J. Fear and other disturbances of severe Hypoglycaemia in Children and Adolescents with Type 1 Diabetes. J. Pediatr. Endocrinol. Metab. 2005; 18: 83–91. Palandri, M.K. and Sorrentino, C.R. (1993). Black and Matassarin – Jacobs, Pocket Companion for Luckmann and Sorensen’s Medical – Surgical Nursing: A Psychophysiologic Approach. 4th Edition. W.B. Saunders. The Diabetes Control and complications Study Group (1994) Effect of intensive diabetes treatment on the development and progression of long-term complications in adolescents with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus: Diabetes Control and Complications Trial Research Group. J. Pediatr. 125, 177–188. Waterford Regional Hospital (2006) Department of Nutrition and Dietetics Watson et. al (1997) Clinical Nursing and Related Sciences 5th edn. Bailliere Tindall, 24-28 Oval Road, London NW1 7DX. Patricia Power Sorcha Dineen Miriam Cass 20053881 Patricia Chesser Smyth Nursing in the Community Module Leaders

Chiaroscuro in The Scarlet Letter and “The Fall of the House of Usher” Essay

Mother, said little Pearl, the sunshine does not love you. It runs away and hides itself, because it is afraid of something on your bosom. In Nathaniel Hawthornes The Scarlet Letter, Hester Prynne has committed the sin of adultery and wears a scarlet A on her chest to condemn her. Hawthorne develops the personalities of Hester Prynne, Pearl, and Arthur Dimmesdale by using the function of light and dark images in his writing. In Edgar Allan Poes The Fall of The House of Usher, the House of Usher is presented in the eyes of the narrator as a dark, foreboding house, and in an effort to reason in order to see things in a brighter light, looks into a mirror, but looking back at him are the eye-like windows of that dark and gloomy house. Poe uses chiaroscuro to express light images of the subject and then turn them into dark parallels. Throughout The Scarlet Letter, Hawthorne uses the literary device of Chiaroscuro to represent the development of his characters while similarly Poe uses the technique in The Fall of the House of Usher to develop his gloomy themes and somber settings. Hawthorne uses chiaroscuro to show Hester Prynne as a woman whose sin has overtaken her, and made her impure. One example of this is: The mothersmedium through which were transmitted to the unborn infant the rays of its moral life; and however white and clear originally, they had taken the deep stains of crimson and gold, the fiery luster, the black shadow, and the untempered light, of the intervening substance. This quote shows that Hesters sin was so powerful, that it had absorbed into Pearl even before she was born. Another quote that shows the depth of Hesters sin is: The light lingered about the lonely child, as if glad of such a playmate, until her mother had drawn most nigh enough to step into the magic circle toothe sunshine vanished. The quote shows that even the sunshine discriminates and knows Hesters impurity. Hawthorne brings out Hesters strength by having to deal with the shame and weight of her sin. Hawthorne illustrates Pearl as gorgeous and radiant using chiaroscuro. Pearls own proper beauty, shining through the gorgeous robes which might have extinguished a paler loveliness, that there was an absolute circle of radiance around her, on the darksome cottage-floor. This suggests that Pearls radiance was so great that it lit up the things around her. Another  example of her beauty shown through chiaroscuro is: Pearl stood, looking so stedfastly at them through the dim medium of the forest-gloom, herself, meanwhile, all glorified with a ray of sunshine. This portrays that even though the forest and people around her appear gloomy, she remains luminescent. In addition, The light lingered about the lonely child, as if glad of such a playmate, until her mother had drawn most nigh enough to step into the magic circle toothe sunshine vanished. The sunshine discriminates against Pearls mother and others because they are impure and not worthy of its light. Minister Dimmesdale is portrayed as a feeble man through Hawthornes use of chiaroscuro. Both Arthur and Hester must carry their guilt, and never get over the weight of the sin; however, The Minister is not as strong of a person as Hester and physically emaciates. The shadow of Dimmesdales figure which the sunlight cast upon the floor, was tremulous with the vehemence of his appeal. With that, Hawthorne shows that the sin is so merciless that it literally destroys him. Throughout the novel, Hawthorne shows Arthurs health declining, as his guilt steadily increases. Poes The Fall of The House of Usher begins on one â€Å"†¦dull, dark, and soundless day in the autumn of the year†¦.† From the very beginning, the reader, as a result of Poe’s imagery, is aware of a sense of death and decay. Even the narrator describes â€Å"a sense of insufferable gloom pervaded his spirit† as he approached the House of Usher. The term â€Å"House of Usher† refers not only to the crumbling mansion but also to the remaining family members who live within. The narrator begins his description of the room with images of glowing light and Feeble gleams of encrimsoned light made their way through the trellised panes, and served to render sufficiently distinct the more prominent objects around; the eye. Then this light vanishes and darkness appears when the light struggled in vain to reach the remoter angles of the chamber, or the recesses of the vaulted and fretted ceiling. Dark draperies hung upon the walls. Clearly here is a transition present from light to dark. The narrator reasons that if he could look at things differently or in a brighter light, he might be able to change it, but when he looks into the lake he sees, with even more fear before, a mirror image of the house in all its darkness. In The Scarlet Letter, Hawthorne effectively uses contrasts light and dark images to develop the personalities of Hester, Pearl, and Dimmesdale. Hawthorne uses chiaroscuro to show the depth of Hesters guilt and strength of bearing her sin and Arthurs secret. Pearl is characterized as radiant through Hawthornes vibrant descriptions of her beauty. He uses the sun to depict the purity of Pearl. Hawthorne uses shadows to depict how Arthur is a meager man compared to Hester, also bearing the sin. Hawthorne portrays Arthur deteriorating from his guilt, while Hester pushes herself to live on and try to overcome it, still always bearing its weight and pain. Poe uses images of light turning into dark to present his gloomy settings and themes. The House of Usher as first being described in light converts to dark images. Chiaroscuro is effectively used by Hawthorne to develop the personalities of his characters and by Poe to clearly present his dark settings and themes.

datamining essays

datamining essays In todays business world, information about the customer is a necessity for a businesses trying to maximize its profits. A new, and important, tool in gaining this knowledge is Data Mining. Data Mining is a set of automated procedures used to find previously unknown patterns and relationships in data. These patterns and relationships, once extracted, can be used to make valid predictions about the behavior of the customer. Data Mining is generally used for four main tasks: (1) to improve the process of making new customers and retaining customers; (2) to reduce fraud; (3) to identify internal wastefulness and deal with that wastefulness in operations, and (4) to chart unexplored areas of the internet (Cavoukian). The fulfillment of these tasks can be enhanced if appropriate data has been collected and if that data is stored in a data warehouse. This makes it much easier and more efficient to run queries over data that originally came from different sources." When data about an organizations practices is easier to access, it becomes more economical to mine. Without the pool of validated and scrubbed data that a data warehouse provides, the data mining process requires considerable additional effort to pre-process the data (SAS Institute). There are several different types of models and algorithms used to mine the data. These include, but are not limited to, neural networks, decision trees, rule induction, boosting, and genetic algorithms. Data Mining is largely, if not entirely used for business purposes. The highest users of data mining include banking, financial, and telecommunications industries (Two Crows). Data mining will have a different effect on different industries in the business world. The key to succeeding in this rapidly changing industry is to understand the customer, or the market that the customer represents. Through data mining, companies can know what their cus...

Pepper and Water Science Magic Trick

Pepper and Water Science Magic Trick The pepper and water science trick is one of the easiest magic tricks you can perform. Heres how to do the trick and an explanation of how it works. Necessary Materials You only need a few common kitchen ingredients to perform this science magic trick. black pepperwaterdishwashing liquidplate or bowl Steps to Performing the Trick Pour water into a plate or bowl.Shake some pepper onto the waters surface.Dip your finger into the pepper and water (Nothing much will happen).However, if you put a drop of dishwashing liquid on your finger and then dip it into the pepper and water the pepper will rush to the outer edges of the dish. If you are doing this as a trick then you might have one finger that is clean and another finger that you dipped in detergent before performing the trick. You could use a spoon or chopstick if you dont want a soapy finger. Heres How the Trick Works When you add detergent to water the surface tension of the water is lowered. Water normally bulges up a bit, like what you see when you look at a water drop. When the ​surface tension is lowered, the water wants to spread out. As the water flattens on the dish, the pepper that is floating on top of the water is carried to the outer edge of the plate as if by magic. Exploring Surface Tension With Detergent What happens if you mix detergent into the water and then shake pepper onto it? The pepper sinks to the bottom of the plate because the surface tension of the water is too low to hold up the particles. The high surface tension of water is why spiders and some insects can walk on water. If you added a drop of detergent to the water, they would sink, too. Floating Needle Trick A related science-based trick is the floating needle trick. You can float a needle (or paperclip) on water because the surface tension is high enough to hold it up. If the needle gets completely wet, it will sink immediately. Running the needle across your skin first will coat it with a thin layer of oil, helping it to float. Another option is to set the needle on a floating bit of tissue paper. The paper will become hydrated and sink, leaving a floating needle. Touching the water with a finger dipped in detergent will cause the metal to sink. Quarters in a Glass of Water Another way to demonstrate the high surface tension of water is to see how many quarters or other coins you can add to a full glass of water before it overflows. As you add coins, the surface of the water will become convex  before finally overflowing. How many coins can you add? This depends on how you add them. Slowly sliding the coins into the water edge-on will improve your results. If youre competing with a friend, you can sabotage his efforts by coating his coins with soap.