Tuesday, December 31, 2019

Religious Reform in the Middle Ages - 1442 Words

Religious Reform in the Middle Ages During the middle ages there had been much controversy circling around religion, mainly around the Catholic Church. Many people felt trapped within the church, which sparked many religious ideologists to seek ways around the Catholic beliefs, and still have a relationship with God. During this age a new religion began to emerge from the Catholic faith, Protestantism, which sparked much controversy for many people living in Europe at the time. This era brought many revolutions and sparks a time of enlightenment when it came to religion. For most of the middles ages the majority of Europe was run under the Catholic Church, but it wasnt until the 16th century that critics began to question its practices†¦show more content†¦Instead of hearing the interpretation of a priest, people were able to base their own ideas on religion, which gave them a sense of freedom. After the introduction of Luther and the many that followed his theology, the Catholic Church began to reform to bring light to the Catholic Church after the harsh criticism it endured during the Protestant reform. One of the most significant orders that led Catholicism to its reform was the order of the Society of Jesuits, which was led by a Spaniard names Ignatius of Loyola (1491-1556). He taught how spiritual discipline could satisfy peoples desire to reach up to God while obeying the orders of the Catholic Church. He also justified the effectiveness of saints by explaining that they are just an intermediary between people and God. This gave many a legit reason to believe the importance of saints in the Catholic Religion. Another major turning point in the Catholic reform was The Council of Trent, where church leaders all over Europe gathered to discuss the reformation of Catholicism. The council concentrated on matters that involved the clean up of clerical corruption, ignorance , and apathy. They also banned the selling of indulgences, which was one of the biggest arguments Luther had against the Catholic Church. They went against the Protestant religion by saying that the Catholic Church does not stand before God. Instead they claimed theShow MoreRelatedReligious Reform in the Middle Ages1100 Words   |  5 PagesReligious Reformation in the Middle Ages Throughout the middle ages, religion underwent much criticism and controversy. In a time where Catholicism reigned as the sole religion, ideas arose that opposed this strict faith. These ideas spawned the Protestant reform and changed religion throughout Europe. It not only changed religious practices and the path to God, but also initiated political repercussions. These results were all in search of an answer to the question to which everyone soughtRead More Christianity Essay1617 Words   |  7 Pages The period from the eighth to the fourteenth century was one of vast reforms, some for the better and some for the worse. During this period in Europe, commonly known as The Middle Ages, economic reforms took place as well as social, political, and religious changes. One common theme throughout The Middle Ages consisted of the relationship between the Church and the State. The Catholic church during this era held a prominent role in society, and it had an abundant amount of powe r and authority duringRead More Middle Ages Essay712 Words   |  3 PagesMiddle Ages The history of the modern world derives from thousands of years of human history. Embedded in its history are the many eras of man which have constructed our modern learning, art, beliefs, and order. The middle ages, although represented as â€Å"dark†, backwards, and idle, were in fact a bridge linking the classical and modern world. Medieval society may not have been in a sense glorious, but the era of itself was a prime foundation of the modern world’s newfound stability, a revivalRead MoreThe Role Of Role During The Middle Eastern Modernity953 Words   |  4 PagesName Tutor Name Date The Role Played by Europeans in Middle Eastern Modernity The term modernity is widely used to refer to various changes in cultural and social norms that occurred in post-medieval Europe. The concept includes different but interrelated historical and cultural events that impacted politics, human culture, and social institutions. In simple words, modernity can be referred to as the aspect of being up to date, usually characterized by a contemporary way of thinking or living. TheRead More Monasticism And Intellectual L Essay example799 Words   |  4 Pages Religious and intellectual institutions underwent significant changes throughout the middle ages. In some cases, advances were made, and in others, there was a major decline. Through all of these times, the people of the middle ages learned what didn’t work, what did, and how to progress once they found what did work. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;The true form of monasticism in the western Christian church was founded by Saint Benedict of Nursia. He wrote the famous quot;Benedict’s Rulequot;Read MoreFrom An Ontic Community To The Age Of Mobilisation1018 Words   |  5 Pagesof the secularisation theory, from traditional religious communities to the age of mobilisation, we will first take a look at his critique of traditional secularisation theorist. Finally, we will attempt to assess the place of religion today and the consequences of the first period of secularisation in the modern world. Taylor criticises the belief that secularisation was a linear phenomenon caused by scientific progress and the industrialisation age. He attributes this fallacy to the non-considerationRead MoreNo Title Now1233 Words   |  5 Pages2.3   Study   Questions    Early   (Dark)   Middle   Ages          Chapter   Fifteen,   Ã¢â‚¬Å"Europe   to   the   Early   1500s:   Revival,   Decline,   and   Renaissance†          The   High   and   Late   Middle   Ages—Chapter   Fifteen    As compared to its experience in the early Middle Ages, Europe in the High Middle Ages was a. more decentralized. c. less militaristic. b. less isolated. d. more religiously diverse. Which is the best summaryRead MoreThe Middle Ages : Religion, Politics, And Warfare998 Words   |  4 PagesThe Middle Ages provides historians with various examples of concepts like kingship, church, warfare, politics, and health. Historians are able to explore events during the middle ages to determine how society operated and what mindset medieval people had. The middle ages is split into three sections early (500-1000), high or central (1000-1300), and late (1300-1500). This paper is going to delve into some similarities and differences between the high and late middle ages specifically looking atRead MoreDomesticity in 19th Century White Middle Class America Essay1387 Words   |  6 PagesDomesticity in 19th Century White Middle Class America The nineteenth century marked a turning point for women in the United States. As men took work outside of the home women were left to cultivate a place that could serve as a haven from the harsh outside world. This change created a domestic sphere ru d by women; it paramounted from simple household organization to matters involving moral and religious responsibility, health, education, and social duty. Women found power in their newRead MoreCharlemagne And The Carolingian Renaissance1677 Words   |  7 Pagesestablished political and educational reforms, introduced a love of learning to the people of Western Europe, as well ideas of renovatio and correctio. Charles the Great, along with the rest of the Carolingians, stressed the importance of a love of learning all over the empire. In order to do this, reforms of the educational system had to be made. During this time, however, the church was heavily involved in all aspect of life, ergo secular and religious. Charlemagne, being an intelligent man

Sunday, December 22, 2019

Project Management Has Five Basic Processes That Guide A...

1. Explain project scope management in terms of its processes. Project scope is defined as all the work that goes into the project â€Å"Project scope is the part of project planning that involves determining and documenting a list of specific project goals, deliverables, tasks, costs and deadlines† (Schwalbe, 2011). So project scope management is the processes required to define and control the processes to ensure that all work required, and only the work required for completing the project successfully. PMI explains that project management is â€Å"the application of knowledge, skills, tools and techniques to a broad range of activities in order to meet the requirements of a particular project† (PMBOK, 2008). Project management has five basic†¦show more content†¦The project manager will monitor the projects progress and make adjustments to the schedule and plan as changes are needed to keep the project on track. 5.) Controlling scope Scope management should be maintained throughout the life of the project to maintain the project within the planned budget and timeframe. Project managers need to be mindful of any changes to the scope and the impact it will have on the costs and how a change would benefit the project (Schwalbe, 2011). 2. Compare and contrast the five approaches for creating work breakdown structures. The five approaches of Work Breakdown Structure: 1.) Using Guidelines. If an organization has guidelines for creating WBS they should be followed as closely and as diligently as possible. Most organizations will have guidelines that project teams should follow in creating a new WBS. 2.) The analogy approach. This method uses previous WBS as a template for new ones. Since most companies will archive a previous projects documentation, a previous WBS will be included and can be used as a basis for a new WBS. Consulting companies tend to use previous WBS for similar projects for the same client. 3.) The Top-Down approach. This method begins with the largest or final deliverable. Then all the requirements to meet the deliverable are worked out in detail until all the requirements are met. â€Å"The top-down approach is best suited to project managers who have vast technical insight and a

Saturday, December 14, 2019

Famous People from West Virgina Free Essays

Famous People from West Virginia Thomas â€Å"Stonewall† Jackson (1824-1863) Jackson was born in Clarksburg, West Virginia. He was a Confederate general and won at the First Battle of Bull Run during the Civil War. He was accidentally killed by one of his men at Chanvellorsville. We will write a custom essay sample on Famous People from West Virgina or any similar topic only for you Order Now Anna Jarvis (1864-1948) Jarvis was born in Grafton, West Virginia. She was a promoter who worked to make Mother’s Day a nationally celebrated holiday. Morgan Morgan (1688-1766) Morgan was a pioneer and the first white settler in West Virginia. He built a log cabin near Bunker Hill. Mary Lou Retton (1968- ) Retton was born in Fairmont, West Virginia, and was a gymnast. She won a gold medal for the best all-around gymnast performance in the 1984 Olympics and was the first American gymnast to win a medal since 1948. Cyrus Vance (1917- ) Vance was born Clarksburg, West Virginia, and was a diplomat. He represented President Johnson in Panama, Cyprus and in urban riot centers. He negotiated the release of the USS Pueblo and its crew. Vance was the United States secretary of state from 1977-1981. Booker T. Washington (1856-1915) Washington grew up in Malden, West Virginia, and was and educator and reformer. He thought that blacks should work for education and employment instead of fighting social equality with whites. He founded the National Negro Business League. He wrote a book called Up. West Virginia Fun Facts West Virginia is the only state in the Union to have acquired its sovereignty by proclamation of the President of the United States. West Virginia is considered the southern most northern state and the northern most southern state. Mother’s Day was first observed at Andrews Church in Gafton on May 10, 1908. West Virginia has the oldest population of any state. The median age is 40. Jackson’s Mill is the site of the first 4-H Camp in the United States. The first federal prison exclusively for women in the United States was opened in 1926 in West Virginia. The New River Gorge Bridge near Fayetteville is the second highest steel arch bridge in the United States. The bridge is also the longest steel arch bridge (1,700 feet) in the world. Every October on Bridge Day, the road is closed and individuals parachute and bungee cord jump 876 feet off the bridge. It is West Virginia’s largest single day event and attracts about 100,000 people each year. The first major land battle fought between Union and Confederate soldiers in the Civil War was the Battle of Philippi on June 3, 1861. One of the nation’s oldest and largest Indian burial grounds is located in Moundsville. It is 69 feet high, 900 feet in circumference, and 50 feet high. An inscribed stone was removed from the vault and is on display at the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, D. C. The first rural free mail delivery was started in Charles Town on October 6, 1896, and then spread throughout the United States. A naval battle was fought in West Virginia waters during the Civil War. United States armored steamers were actively engaged in the Battle of Buffington Island near Ravenswood on July 19, 1863. A variety of the yellow apple, the Golden Delicious, originated in Clay County. The original Grimes Golden Apple Tree was discovered in 1775 near Wellsburg. West Virginia has a mean altitude of 1,500 feet, giving it the highest average altitude east of the Mississippi. The first electric railroad in the world, built as a commercial enterprise, was constructed between Huntington and Guyandotte. William Tompkins used natural gas to evaporate salt brine in 1841, thus becoming the first person in the United States to use natural gas for industrial purposes. Bailey Brown, the first Union soldier killed in the Civil War, died on May 22, 1861, at Fetterman, Taylor County. Chester Merriman of Romney was the youngest soldier of World War I, having enlisted at the age of 14. The first brick street in the world was laid in Charleston, on October 23, 1870, on Summers Street, between Kanawha and Virginia Streets. How to cite Famous People from West Virgina, Essay examples

Friday, December 6, 2019

Adversity and resilience of homosexuals Essay Example For Students

Adversity and resilience of homosexuals Essay Tale Farewell My Concubine describes the torments and sufferings that homosexuals have to go through. These torments and sufferings are the results of stereotypes from the society. The video Anti-Gay, and the books The Facts on Homosexuality and Gay and Lesbian Stats: A Pocket Guide of Facts and Figures explains the reasons for gay stereotypes, and how they affect those who are homosexuals. Homosexuals are frequently viewed as the outcasts of society and are often subjected to discrimination. However, with the support of family and friends, they are able to overcome such aggression. Someday, homosexuals will be treated the same way as heterosexuals, and society will learn that homosexuality is not a disease, but just another way of life. In the novel Farewell My Concubine, the main character, Xiao Douzi, is faced with the adversity of being a homosexual in a time when homosexuality was absolutely unaccepted by society. Douzi was born with beautiful facial features and a perfect complexion; because of this, he was chosen to play a woman on stage. Douzi fails to separate his on-stage gimmick from his real life persona, and he falls in love with his partner and best friend, Xiao Shitou. When Shitou married a woman, Douzi collapsed mentally and soon got addicted to opium. Shitous wife was against homosexuality, and she did whatever she could to keep her husband from seeing Douzi; but despite all this, Shitou still cares about Douzi and helped Douzi get off his addiction to opium. He also helps out Douzi whenever he can and supports Douzis decision to live his life as a homosexual. Aside from his personal problems, Douzi is also faced with discrimination from the society. During the Japanese invasion of China, the Japanese army found out about his homosexual tendencies, and they forced Douzi to dress up as a woman and have sexual intercourse with them. During the Cultural Revolution, Douzi was brutally beaten and was humiliated by the Red Guards. Douzi was treated this way because his adversaries believed in the traditional gay stereotypes. According to the books The Facts on Homosexuality and Gay and Lesbian Stats: A Pocket Guide of Facts and Figures, these beliefs about homosexuals were made up by ignorant people, and spreads around through the media. Common beliefs about homosexuals are that they tend to act like the opposite sex, and many believe that homosexuals are all sex-craving perverts. These beliefs are all false. Gays and lesbians just act like themselves. Although statistics showed that some homosexuals do engage in more dangerous activities such as anal sex, most of them are normal, respectable human beings. Rather than believing in these silly rumors about homosexuals, people should learn more about them and try to understand them. If all straight people gets to know homosexuals like Shitou knew Douzi, they will find that homosexuals are no different than anyone else, and that homosexuals can turn out to be great friends. People who despise homosexuals are usually those who are ignorant enough to be deceived by the absurd beliefs about homosexuals. Recently, more and more people are beginning to learn about the true nature of homosexuals, and are willing to accept them as part of humanity. Gays and lesbians once had to hide their homosexual lifestyles from even the closest friends and family members because they did not want to be discriminated against. Nowadays, most friends and family members of homosexuals accept them as part of society. Homosexuals can now open up to their friends and family members and turn to them for support. According to the documentary film Anti-Gay, homosexual suicide rates have decreased dramatically due to the growing support of homosexuals from friends and family. Throughout history, Taoism has been one of the mos Essay In the novel Farewell My Concubine, Douzi was able to accept himself as being gay because his best friend Shitou was there to give him support. There will always be homophobic individuals in society who will bash and look down on homosexuals. However, as long as friends, family members, and other supporters are there to accept homosexuals, they can overcome the aggression of being discriminated by the groups of people who are ignorant about them. Except for their tendencies to fall in .

Monday, November 25, 2019

Plan for Project Implementation

Plan for Project Implementation Setting and Room Arrangement Due to the fact that the target audience include students originating from various cultures, it is highly important to invite all students into discussion with leaving no one to be unrecognized. In this respect, a cross-cultural approach should be introduced while forming class groups.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Plan for Project Implementation specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In groups with students from different countries, there is a higher probability of exchanging experiences and acquiring knowledge on the specifics of copyright laws in India, Asia, and Japan. However, each lesson should be aimed at discussing a common topic that would reconcile all presented cultures. The best solution here will be analyzing the following topics: Introduction to copyright law; Basics definition of copyright laws; History and origins for copyright law; Discussing existing agreements, type of lic ensing, and assignments; Studying copyright with regard to traditional knowledge, economic development and authors as presented in the considered countries; Disparities between American copyright laws and the one established at the international level In addition to the above, the final lesson should focus on assessing students’ knowledge and experience in implementing and using U. S. copyright laws. The teacher’s main task here is to make students quickly accommodate to the mode of learning and learn the specifics of sites usage. Increase in motivation can also be achieved if students get more involved in the problems they should overcome as well as objectives teacher pursue. Audio-visual media platforms needed The project implementation should start with working out specific training courses for international students to freely utilize the created site. Particular emphasis will be placed on identifying the definition of copyright laws, reasons for studying this issu es, and consequences for copyright law infringement. This matter will be considered from an educational perspective to increase students’ academic awareness. The training course will be placed on the website so that everyone can access it freely. The lessons designed will involve overview of presentations, video, and audio materials and, therefore, students will need specific software enabling them to look through these lessons and presentations. In order to spark students’ interest in the subject and motivate them to learn more about this issue, online thematic forums will be organized where students will be able to discuss the most burning issues dedicated to the problem of copyright laws.Advertising Looking for essay on education? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Such an option will enable students to expand their knowledge on specific issues, gain experience through engaging in activities connected t o lifetime experience. In addition, cross-examination and online communication will also contribute to students understanding of disparities among copyright systems in different countries. It should be stressed that the usage of online presentations involves specific knowledge on building charts, diagrams, and tables. These principles should be conceived before proceeding with the actual study. Enhancing Students’ Computer Knowledge and Eliminating Problems with Knowledge Management In order to better handle the site designed for learning the basics of copyright laws, students should also acquire sufficient skills in managing software and other computerized equipment. Computer assisted instruction is crucial for drill-and-practice activities and for solving problems connected with computer technology. Advanced knowledge on communication technology will help students to facilitate their study and interaction with teachers and their peers. While evaluating knowledge management techniques, teachers should pay close attention to gaps each student has in terms of their level of understanding of computer essentials.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Leadership Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 4

Leadership - Assignment Example These ethical standards governing the existence of human life encompass diverse realms of endeavors including business entities. As businesses comprise a greater majority of the world’s human activities, the importance of studying ethics come as a necessity rather than a matter of natural occurrence. During the 1990s, the study on business ethics have been clearly structured and formalized through acknowledging it as a necessary part of business operations. Ferrell, Fraedrich & Ferrell (2009, 6) define business ethics as â€Å"the principles and standards that guide behavior in the world of business†. In the field of accounting, for example, Smith & Smith (2010) indicated that ethical issues were clearly identified in its practice as evidenced by the book written by Michael Josephson describing the â€Å"Ten Universal Values, as follows: honesty, integrity, promise-keeping, fidelity, fairness, caring, respect for others, responsible citizenship, pursuit of excellence, and accountability† (Smith & Smith, 2010, par. 10). Likewise, with organizations venturing in international markets, the tenets of moral and ethics need to encompass standards and guidelines which widen the jurisdiction of business ethics internationally. As averred by Enderle (1997), â€Å"business ethics is an emerging and dynamic field, depending strongly on economic factors, but also on political changes and a growing awareness of value conflicts and ethical and environmental demands† (1475). Business ethics discusses the concepts on leadership and management where managerial responsibilities for the conduct of subordinates need to conform to ethical codes for guidance and compliance. The study of ethics give direction to promote the ethical behavior expected of stakeholders in the business setting. It assists individuals and groups in understanding the ways to cope and address conflicts

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Liberal Education Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Liberal Education - Essay Example Liberal education focuses on training the individual to use their own mind rather than simply regurgitating facts and specific methods as might be necessary in more technical fields. â€Å"This distinction goes back to Aristotle, who speaks of liberal, that is to say, free learning as being done for its own sake and not as a means to an end† (Brann, 2000). Rather than a rehashing of established facts and figures, a liberal education works to develop human understanding one person at a time. William Cronon (1998) identifies the liberally educated person as having numerous characteristics that can only be acquired by the kind of thoughtful dialogue and exploration this type of study can produce. According to Cronon, liberally educated people â€Å"Listen and they hear †¦ they read and they understand †¦ they can talk with anyone †¦ they can write clearly and persuasively and movingly †¦ they can solve a wide variety of puzzles and problems †¦ they respe ct rigor not so much for its own sake but as a way of seeking truth †¦ they practice humility, tolerance and self-criticism †¦ they understand how to get things done in the world †¦ they nurture and empower the people around them† and they make connections between these things. The subjects that are learned through a liberal education are thus not as clearly defined as those offered in more vocational fields. â€Å"While students should certainly learn some of the fundamental arts of inquiry such as logic and linguistics in the broadest sense as well as a lot of mathematics and experimental science, †¦ [these years should be used] for learning to be a human being† (Brann, 2000). Daniel Sullivan (2007) indicates that the subjects in which a liberal education might be pursued can lead to a wide variety of careers. These include the diplomat, the physician, the parents, the lawyers, the novelists, the manufacturers

Monday, November 18, 2019

The benefits of technology in giving presentations Essay

The benefits of technology in giving presentations - Essay Example Nowhere has the development of technology had a greater impact than in the domain of communication. In the world of academia and business, the usage of proprietary software like Microsoft PowerPoint, Word, Excel and Outlook have become quite common. The PowerPoint software in particular is a potent tool in giving presentations. Students use it to present their seminars; lecturers and professors use it to impart knowledge to their students; and business executives use it to convey ideas to their team members. In this sense, one could say that the use of technology in the world of colleges and business corporations has become quite pervasive. There are some decisive advantages in using tools such as PowerPoint over conventional chalk and black board. A PowerPoint presentation can be prepared beforehand whereas someone using white chalk on black board has to write down during the lecture. Moreover, using chalk can be cumbersome and clumsy compared to using PowerPoint. For example, the latter gives the user flexibility with respect to choice of template, font size, audio-visual options, color schemes, editing facilities, etc, which are not available in conventional methods used to give presentations. An allied tool that is used alongside PowerPoint is the overhead projector. Basically, the projector helps to magnify and display the content written in the PowerPoint slide onto a large white screen. The projector also allows the presenter to use light beam as a pointing tool. Moreover, the light shed by the projector on to the screen is quite bright, making it easier for the audience to focus on the lecture. The other striking aspect of technologically powered tools such as PowerPoint is provisions made by them for customizing the content. Instead of restricting the content creator with rigid templates and formats, these tools provide a range of customizing options that can be utilized to tailor the presentation to specific needs. While the overhead

Saturday, November 16, 2019

Shafer-Landau Ethical Theory Summary and Analysis

Shafer-Landau Ethical Theory Summary and Analysis Brody Kent   In this section, Shafer-Landau seeks to draw attention to a major flaw which he finds to exist in subjectivism through its incompatibility with an individuals tendency to question his or her own moral values (p. 296). To begin his argument, Shafer-Landau states that if subjectivism is correct, whatever is right is what he, Schafer-Landau, approves of. According to Shafer-Landau, this is because, under the subjectivist model of ethics, a persons own values are the ultimate authority in determining what is morally right and what is morally wrong (p. 296). In Shafer-Landaus view, however, this use of personal values as the predominant ethical authority does not make sense, as it does not account for instances where a person may be undecided as to the value of their beliefs (p. 296). Arguing to this end, Shafer-Landau claims that he, himself, has personally experienced circumstances where he has been drawn to question his values and their supporting justifications (p. 296). According to Shafer-Landau, this tendency to for an individual to question their beliefs is incompatible with the use of these beliefs as the basis of moral truth (p. 296). Through close analysis of this argument as it is made by Shafer-Landau, it appears that he is thereby reaching this conclusion based on one of two premises: either it is wrong to question ones values because they represent moral fact, or it is impossible for our individual values to represent moral fact because they are founded in beliefs that may be influenced by internal debate and which may therefore change over time; in other words, these values cannot represent moral fact because they lack consistency and objectivity. To counter this argument, I will seek to show that both of these premises are false: the first, due to its inability to describe a legitimate threat to the status of individual values as moral truths, and the second due to its inability to accurately represent the nature of individual, subjective truth described by the subjectivist model. Regarding Shafer-Landaus first possible premise to this conclusion, it seems unsound to conclude that because a fact is questioned it cannot be a fact. Certainly, there are many ideals which we now consider to be fact that have been heavily scrutinized throughout history. As a notable example, the fact that the earth is spherical and not flat has been, and in some cases even continues to be, questioned extensively. Further, it does not seem that the act of questioning a potential fact plays any role in determining whether or not an idea is truly factual. Consider, as an example, the many conspiracies which assert that the Buzz Aldrin and the United States did not land on the moon. Despite this argument and those counterarguments which assert that the United States did, in fact, place a shuttle on the moon, the actual fact of the matter, whatever it may be, is a fact in and of itself and is not affected in any way by this questioning. In other words, the legitimacy of a fact is independent of and cannot be affected by any acts of questioning its value or legitimacy. Therefore, if it was Schafer-Landaus intent to argue that our tendency to question our values is incompatible with our values forming the basis of moral fact, this reasoning seems false, as it relies on a poor argument that our act of questioning a fact damages that facts legitimacy. Shafer-Landaus second possible premise for his conclusion appears to be equally flawed, as it seems to disregard some major components of the essence of subjectivist moral reasoning. According to Shafer Landau, the act of questioning the legitimacy of ones moral values cannot make sense, since [ones own] approvals and disapprovals are the ultimate test of right and wrong (p. 296). Assuming that, through this argument, Shafer-Landau intends to say that moral values are unfit to represent moral truth because they represent ideas that are subject to change under the influence of internal questioning, it appears that Shafer-Landau is overlooking a key aspect of the subjectivist ideal. According to Merriam-Webster, subjectivism is a moral doctrine which states that individual feeling or apprehension is the ultimate criterion of the good and the right (Subjectivism, n.d.).   From this definition, it is understood that under the subjectivist model, there are no objective moral truths ; rather, the subjectivist ideal champions that each individuals values represent subjective moral truths, which are the highest level of moral truth (Ethics Guide: Subjectivism). As a result, subjectivism does not give preference to any single moral value, but supports every individual value as ethically meaningful to that individual. And it seems that the essence of this idea can easily be expanded to the individual level used within Shafer-Landaus argument. If all ideas between individuals are morally valuable so long as they reflect the subjective moral beliefs of that individual, it seems to follow that all differing values within an individual are morally valuable so long as they reflect that individuals perspective, feeling, or belief at the given time. When considered in this light, it no longer appears that the susceptibility of our subjective moral truths to change truly conflicts with the subjectivist model of morality, as Shafer-Landau may be arguing. Rather, it seems that Shafer-Landaus argument rests on a misrepresentation of subjectivism, whereby he is arguing based on a false perception that subjectivism intends for subjective moral truths to possess the level of infallibility and rigidness held by objective moral truths. Because the kind of subjective moral truths championed by subjectivist theory are not expected to possess this level of infallibility, and are, in fact, often celebrated for their tendency to differ and change across people and cultures, Shafer-Landaus argument for the presence of a conflict in our tendency to question our own moral perceptions while using them to determine our moral beliefs appears false if it intends to argue that this conflict is derived from the resulting susceptibility of our moral va lues to our own questioning. Through his argument in this section, Shafer-Landau seeks to convey that subjectivism conflicts with the tendency of individuals to question their moral beliefs (p. 296). I have objected to this conclusion in two ways, each of which correspond to one of what I perceive to be the two most likely reasons for which Shafer-Landau believes this conflict to exist. First, I have identified that Shafer-Landaus conclusion is unsound if it is based on the false premise that this conflict exists because of our tendency to question factual moral truths. Second, I have found this conclusion to be unsound if it is based on the premise that subjective moral truths cannot be susceptible to adaptation or change due to our questioning our own moral values. References Ethics Guide: Subjectivism. Retrieved fromhttp://www.bbc.co.uk/ethics/introduction /subjectivism.shtml Shafer-Landau, R. (2015). Ethical Relativism. In The Fundamentals of Ethics (pp. 296). New York, NY: Oxford University Press. Subjectivism [Def. 2.b] (n.d). Merriam-Webster Online. In Merriam-Webster. Retrieved March 9, 2017, from http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/subjectivism

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

Global Warming and the Kyoto Treaty Essay -- Climate Change and the Ky

According to David Easterling, principal scientist at the National Climatic Data Center in Asheville, N.C. in twenty years the United States has had thirty seven weather related catastrophes each with damages exceeding one billion dollars (Levin 1). A country as wealthy as the United States can afford to pay thirty seven billion dollars in twenty years, assuming of course that the weather related disasters only cost one billion dollars each. Unfortunately, the weather does not work that way. Hurricane Katrina alone may have cost one hundred billion dollars (Tucker 13). What could be causing these devastating storms? Many atmospheric scientists like Kerry Emanuel believe that global warming is the cause of the increased ferocity of the hurricanes (Nash 38). With the polar temperatures increasing the icecaps are melting. Without the ice to reflect the sun's light, the water absorbs the heat. This creates a vicious cycle. The ocean levels rise with their temperatures. Hurricane Katrina was only a category one hurricane when it crossed Florida. However, when it reached the newly warmed Gulf waters, hurricane Katrina ballooned into a mind-blowing category five hurricane that destroyed the gulf region (McKibben, Year One 30). The melting of the polar icecaps has long been believed to be caused by global warming. Until recently, the cause of global warming itself has largely been up for debate. Now atmospheric scientists attribute global warming to increased greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide, in the earth's atmosphere (Greenstone 323). With the knowledge that carbon dioxide causes global warming countries can start taking actions to prevent future global warming. The United States alone produces twenty four percent of the world... ... 166 Issue 1 (2004): 10-12. Phelps, Megan. "More Action, Less Hot Air." The Mother Earth News Vol. 210 (2005): 30. Stenger, Richard. "Man on the Moon: Kennedy Speech Ignited the Dream." CNN.Com. 25 May 2001. Time Warner. 30 Nov. 2013 . Sunstein, Cass R. "It's Only $300 Billion If We Can Fund the War in Iraq, Why Can't We Fund the Kyoto Protocol?" The Washington Post 10 May 2006. 12 Nov. 2013 . Tucker, Patrick. "The Rising Costs of Global Warming." The Futurist Vol.39 Issue 6 (2005): 13. "Warming Trends What Global Climate Changes Could Mean for Wisconsin." Wisconsin Natural Resources 12 Nov. 2006. Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. 12 Nov. 2013 .

Monday, November 11, 2019

Functional Movement Integration

This is a personal health plan for a 50 year old woman who is diabetic, has had a heart attack and overweight by 30 pounds. More than seven million American women have diabetes, about the same number as men.Diabetes is a disease that forces your body to starve when it is full of food. Normally, your body takes last night’s dinner or this morning’s breakfast and turns it into a sugar called glucose. Then it dumps the glucose into your blood, where it teams up with insulin secreted by your pancreas. The insulin carries glucose into you muscles and organs, where it provides the energy for everything you do.A drop in available insulin or the body’s resistance to using that insulin can cause  Ã‚   metabolic mayhem. With diabetes, glucose builds up in the bloodstream because it is unable to gain admission to muscles and organs. It wears on the heart, kidneys and eyes and then it flows into the bladder and passes out of the body – leaving behind damaged organs starved for fuel.Left too long, in this situation, the body powers down: Symptoms you may have attributed to stress or growing older, can, if unheeded escalate into the complications of diabetes—heart disease, stroke, blindness or kidney failure.PhysicalPrevention is important here. That is why, they physical part of the 12 month personal plan involves losing weight. â€Å"The higher your weight, the higher your risk of diabetes,† say Richard Hamman, M.D. professor of preventive medicine at the University if Colorado School of Medicine in Boulder. You especially need to lose weight if your body is shaped like an apple—thick in the middle. More glucose in the blood makes the pancreas dump in more insulin. Eventually the whole system breaks down, says Dr. Kohrt.Women who are sedentary probably have a 25 to 40 percent increased risk of diabetes compared to women who are more active at the same weight,† Dr. Hamman says. You must be active physically. What do w e mean by this? It is like taking a walk in the morning, going up three or four flights of steps rather than taking elevators. It is doing these things every day.PsychologicalYou must visit a massage center and have a good massage, so that your body and nerves will become relaxed and full of energy. You must plan to do this the next time you find yourself edgy. You must get a Manual Lymph Drainage Massage.This is a process done to the body in order to improve the flow of the lymph rhythmic strokes. This is used in conditions when the body is already developing edema. The process is used in several massage spas and is a great way to detoxify the body. The massage can be readjusted to a low pressure of the hands for those afflicted with some bone disease.

Friday, November 8, 2019

GIS (Geographic Information Systems) in Everyday Life

GIS (Geographic Information Systems) in Everyday Life GIS According to Canalys there were approximately 41 million GPS units sold in 2008, and in 2009 the number of GPS enabled cell phones in use had exceeded 27 million. Without even thinking, tens of millions of people access directions and look-up local businesses from these hand-held devices every day. Lets tie this back to our big picture here, GIS. The 24 GPS satellites orbiting earth are constantly broadcasting data about their location and exact time. Your GPS device or phone receives and process the signals from three to four of these satellites to figure out where it is located. Points of interest, addresses (lines or points), and aerial or road data is all stored in a database that is accessed by your device. When you submit data, such as posting a geo-Tweet (a location-based Tweet on Twitter), checking in on Foursquare, or rating a restaurant you are adding data to one or more GIS data sources. Popular GIS Applications Traditionally desktop GIS has dominated the GIS mindset. People think of ArcMap, MicroStation, or other enterprise-level GIS applications when they think desktop GIS. But the most prevalent desktop GIS application is free, and quiet powerful. With over 400 million total downloads (according to GeoWeb 2008 keynote speech by Michael Jones) Google Earth is by far the most used GIS application in the world. While many people use Google Earth to look for fun things such as a friends house, crop circles, and other oddities, Google Earth also allows you to add georeferenced images, view parcel data, and find routes. Georeferencing Photos Even before the average computer user was using GIS on a near daily basis, everyone has benefited from it. The government uses GIS to decide voting districts, analyze demographics, and even time street lights. The real power of GIS is that it is more than a map, it is a map that can show us exactly what we want to see. How has GIS become such an integral part of society almost seamlessly? Google, Garmin, and others were not creating products with Hey, the mass public needs GIS in mind, no, they were meeting needs. Humans think geographically. Who, What, When, Where, Why, and How those are the five Ws right? Place is extremely important to people. When studying how human populations have acted over the past millennia it is easy to see how geography dictated culture. Today, place still dictates much of our lives: property values, crime rates, education standards, these can all be classified by place. It is interesting to see when a technology has become so ingrained in a society that people dont consider it when they use it, they just use it; like with cell phones, cars, microwaves, etc. (that list could be very long). Personally, as someone who loves maps and loves computers and works in the GIS field I think it is great that an eight-year-old has the ability to look-up their friends address and sho w their parents exactly where they are going, or for family members to be able to see pictures of those they love where they were taken, and so many more cool things that GIS allows us to do without thinking. Kyle Souza is a GIS professional from Texas. He operates TractBuilder and can be reached at kyle.souzatractbuilder.com.

Wednesday, November 6, 2019

5 Words That Dont Mean What You Think They Mean

5 Words That Don't Mean What You Think They Mean You keep using that word, Inigo Montoya says to Vizzini in The Princess Bride. I do not think it means what you think it means. The word that Vizzini so frequently misuses in the film is inconceivable. But its not hard to imagine other words that hold different meanings for different people. Meanings that may even be contradictory- literally so. Of course, its not unusual for word meanings to change  over time. Some words (such as nice, which once meant silly or ignorant) even reverse their connotations. Whats especially intriguing- and often perplexing- is to observe such changes in our own time. To show you what we mean, lets take a look at five words that may not mean what you think they mean: literally, fulsome, ravel, peruse, and plethora. Literally Meaningless? In contrast to  figuratively, the adverb literally means in a literal or strict sense- word for word. But many speakers have a habit of using the word quite unliterally as an intensifier. Take this example from a speech given by former Vice President Joe Biden: The next president of the United States is going to be delivered to the most significant moment in American history since Franklin Roosevelt. He will have such an incredible opportunity not only to change the direction of America but literally, literally to change the direction of the world.(Senator Joseph Biden, speaking in Springfield, Illinois, August 23, 2008) Although most dictionaries recognize the contrary uses of the word, many usage authorities (and SNOOTs) argue that the hyperbolic sense of literally has eroded its literal meaning. Full of Fulsome If your boss showers you with fulsome praise, dont presume that a promotion is in the works. Understood in its traditional sense of offensively flattering or insincere, fulsome has decidedly negative connotations. But in recent years, fulsome has picked up the more complimentary meaning of full, generous, or abundant. So is one definition more correct or appropriate than the other?Guardian Style (2007), the usage guide for writers on Englands Guardian newspaper, describes fulsome as another example of a word that is almost never used correctly. The adjective means cloying, excessive, disgusting by excess, says editor David Marsh, and is not, as some appear to believe, a clever word for full.Nevertheless, both senses of the word appear regularly in the pages of the Guardian- and just about everywhere else. Tributes, praise, and apologies are often characterized as fulsome without a hint of sarcasm or ill will. But in a book review for The Independent in which Jan Morris described the mistress of Lord Nelson as grotesque, obese and fulsome, we sense she had in mind the older meaning of the word. Having it both ways can lead to confusion. When an economics reporter for Time magazine recalls fulsome times, does he simply mean a prosperous era or is he passing judgment on an age of self-indulgent excess? As for the New York Times writer who gushed over a building with great banks of metal windows, set in a rich screen of glazed terra cotta, particularly fulsome on the second floor, exactly what he meant is anybodys guess. Unraveling the Meaning of Raveling If the verb  unravel means to unknot, unscramble, or untangle, its only logical to assume that ravel must mean the opposite- to tangle or complicate. Right?Well, yes and no. You see, ravel is both an antonym and a synonym for unravel. Derived from the Dutch word for a loose thread, ravel can mean either to tangle or untangle, to complicate or clarify. That makes ravel an example of a Janus word- a word (like sanction or wear) that has opposite or contradictory meanings.And that probably helps to explain why ravel is so rarely used: you never know if its coming together or falling apart. Perusing a New Janus Word Another Janus word is the verb  peruse. Since the Middle Ages, peruse has meant to read or examine, usually with great care: perusing a document means studying it carefully. Then a funny thing happened. Some people starting using peruse as a synonym for skim or scan or read quickly- the opposite of its traditional meaning. Most editors still reject this novel usage, dismissing it (in Henry Fowlers phrase) as a slipshod extension- that is, stretching a word beyond its conventional meanings.But keep an eye on your dictionary, for as weve seen, this is one of the ways in which language changes. If enough people continue to stretch the meaning of peruse, the inverted definition may eventually supplant the traditional one. A Plethora of Piatas In this scene from the 1986 film  ¡Three Amigos!,  the villainous character El Guapo is talking with Jefe, his right-hand man: Jefe: I have put many beautiful pià ±atas in the storeroom, each of them filled with little surprises.El Guapo: Many pià ±atas?Jefe: Oh yes, many!El Guapo: Would you say I have a plethora of pià ±atas?Jefe: A what?El Guapo: A plethora.Jefe: Oh yes, you have a plethora.El Guapo: Jefe, what is a plethora?Jefe: Why, El Guapo?El Guapo: Well, you told me I have a plethora. And I just would like to know if you know what a plethora is. I would not like to think that a person would tell someone he has a plethora, and then find out that that person has no idea what it means to have a plethora.Jefe: Forgive me, El Guapo. I know that I, Jefe, do not have your superior intellect and education. But could it be that once again, you are angry at something else, and are looking to take it out on me?(Tony Plana and Alfonso Arau as Jefe and El Guapo in  ¡Three Amigos!, 1986) Regardless of his motive, El Guapo asks a fair question: just what is a plethora? As it turns out, this Greek and Latin hand-me-down is an example of a word that has undergone amelioration- that is, an upgrade in meaning from a negative sense to a neutral or favorable connotation. At one time plethora meant an overabundance or unhealthy excess of something (too many pià ±atas). Now its commonly used as a non-judgmental synonym for a large quantity (a lot of pià ±atas).

Monday, November 4, 2019

Expansion of Molson Coors Molson Canadian Premium Research Paper

Expansion of Molson Coors Molson Canadian Premium - Research Paper Example This is despite an increase in sales of a competitor. It clearly outlined how Molson Coors had lost it in matters concerning marketing and other strategies relating its sales. One of the major brands that Molson Coors has in mind to promote is the Molson Canadian, one of the three beer brands that it owns. Molson Canadian is a premium lager. One of the possible reasons as to why it is the product of choice to be targeted for expansion is its increasing popularity among beer brands worldwide. It is already a hit in its native country of production, Canada, and the company has major plans for it.   Ranking The ranking of the countries in the order of the best market to the worst is: 1. China 2. Mexico 3. Czech 4. France China There are several reasons as to why China is the best potential market for expansion of Molson Canadian premium lager. One is the popularity gain of premium drinks among the Chinese population (6% in 2010) and its promising steady progress. They distinctively pr efer drinks that have quality and have some status. Premium lager drinks fit perfectly in this description. A preference is skewed towards imported premium lager brands given the inclination of the Chinese to the Western countries culture. This is in fact a perfect opportunity for the Molson Canadian premium lager, given its origin and perfection. The Chinese market has a promising future market, both in the present and in the future. This is given its younger generation’s capability to spend more on luxury goods. The young Chinese thus hold the future market for the Molson Canadian beer brand. Mexico Mexico could have been the best option if at all it had a little glimmer in its economy growth, which is its main letdown while considering the best country for Molson Canadian Premium Lager. This in fact was the main reason as to why they had a drop of 2% of beer volumes sold in 2010. The poor economy is a threat in that the population might prioritize other basic needs due to the rising prices of beer and the overall increased inflation that read 4.4% in 2010 up from 3.6% in 2009. Generally, Mexico has a very conducive market for premium beer with the consideration that a large percentage (94%) is committed to beer among all alcoholic drinks. The age group of the consumer base is also perfect; in the range of 20 – 29 years which is also the future market of the brand. Statistics also show that beer would eventually replace soft drinks for men given the trend it had taken. Of the 3% lager imports that are consumed, 90% comprises of premium lager. This leaves no doubt that Mexico is the second best option for Molson Canadian premium beer expansion plan. Czech Anyone who didn’t have the statistics would have no doubt chosen Czech as the perfect country for this investment plan. This would have been utterly wrong because despite Czech ranking among the top five in beer consumption, most of the supported brands are local brands. This is despite the imports that it gets from Slovakia and Poland. Its recent economic shakedown and the wellness and health sensitization are also designed to increase awareness and thus a high chance of reducing its market.  Ã‚  

Saturday, November 2, 2019

Cultural diversity in the media Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Cultural diversity in the media - Essay Example These include: the ubiquity, infiltration and monotony of mass media in reinforcing the durability of such representations; the problems faced by the highly profit-oriented commercial media in introducing complex representations; and the close association of mass media with the elites in the society, which prevents it from changing its status quo. Ever since the invention of tools of mass-media such as television over a century ago, prominent means of visual media such as films and motion-pictures have used conventional forms of cultural representations, which even after decades, are recycled with little or no changes, and served to the audiences through various genres and outlets. The lack of change in the characterization and cultural depiction of people belonging to a certain ethnic or cultural background (for instance, Asians, Hispanics or African-Americans) can be attributed to the popularity and acceptance of their identity by the masses and their reluctance to accept or percei ve them in non-conventional ways; or the economic pressures which is related to the need to attract the mainstream audiences who are used to the familiar albeit stereotypical depiction of people belonging to culturally diverse backgrounds. Research has shown that television shows which have attempted to break the cultural stereotypes through use of non-conventional portrayal of people belonging to culturally diverse backgrounds, have received negative response and had a limited impact in addressing the issue on hand (Chan-Olmsted & Albarran, 1998; Hollifield, 2001; McChesney, 1999). It can thus be said that television as a medium of mass communication has an intrinsic penchant to fixate on a redundant yet popular concept or ideology... This paper on ‘Cultural diversity in the media’ represents cultural diversity within American media that dates as far back as the early 1950s. The first instances of depiction of culturally diverse people in Hollywood were witnessed during the early 1950s where mixed raced couples, were shown on screen. This was at a time when films and television shows were highly white dominated. Such representations of racial and ethnic minorities in films i.e. popular mass-media, indicated the liberal expressions of sentiments of the majority of white Americans towards and regarding people of different races, thus showing hints of subtle prejudice, bigotry and racism as observed in daily lives during that era. Although these films and television shows largely catered to the majority i.e. white American audience, such representation showed the growing acceptance of cultural diversity in popular media. Today, the cultural diversity in the American films and television shows is more evi dent and there is a high representation of not only African-Americans but also of people belonging to other ethnicities such as Hispanics and Asians as well. Popular television show such as ‘The Big Bang Theory’ (showcasing an Indian, as a part of the core star cast) is telecast at prime time in the U.S. and has rapidly gained popularity. The rising popularity of such shows indicates the changing culture of contemporary America which is essentially a mix of various racially and ethnically diverse populations.

Thursday, October 31, 2019

Communication and Cultural Studies Annotated Bibliography

Communication and Cultural Studies - Annotated Bibliography Example "We asked participants to revise and expand their conference papers with these perspectives in mind. The resulting volume presents an interdisciplinary look at how power and forms of cultural representation interacted in the context of Austrian-American relations during the cold war. Taken as a whole, the contributions challenge naive notions of cultural imperialism." "Since the beginning of time, humans have expressed a concern for ethics. Plato Republic is essentially a work of political ethics, as is Aristotle Nicomachean Ethics. For both Plato and Aristotle, the "good" person was a conscientious citizen contributing to the city-state. The notion of civic virtue implies a citizenry that is informed, active, selfless, enlightened and, above all, just." Rhetoric and the study of communications have long lent themselves to research into ethics. "There is universal agreement that human communication demands concern for ethics." These essays are the product of a conference of international proportions that were sponsored by the Linacre Centre to discover the importance of the encyclical Evangelium vitae (in 1995) of John Paul II. The purpose of the study was for healthcare ethics.

Tuesday, October 29, 2019

The attitudes towards Essay Example for Free

The attitudes towards Essay Essay title: Consider, with particular reference to Far from the madding crowd, the attitudes towards relationships between men and women conveyed in these texts reveal any marked changes in attitude? Comparison Social/Historical/Cultural contexts I have read and studied the relationships between men and women in the 18th and 20th century. There are six relationships investigated, taken from two short stories and a novel; Far from the madding crowd, a novel by Thomas Hardy Tickets please, a short story by D. H Lawrence Seeing a beauty queen home, a short story by Bill Naughton. Four of the relationships involved: Bathsheba and Gaberial Oak Bathsheba and Francis Troy Bathsheba and Farmer Boldwood These relationships are taken from the novel Far from the madding crowd. Another one of the relationships involves, Maggie and Rudy This relationship was taken from the short story Seeing a beauty queen home. The last relationship involves, John Thomas and Annie Walker These were taken from the short story Tickets please. Many of the characters share a lot of similarities and differences in the way they act and influence the relationships. For instance Bathsheba, John Thomas and Rudy are shown to be quite extremely proud, confident and vain this is shown by the author and foreseen by some of the other characters. She simply observed herself as a fair product of nature in the feminine kind, Her thoughts seeming to glide into far -off though likely dramas in which men would play a part-vistas of probable triumphs-the smiles being of a phase suggesting that hearts were imagined as lost and won. Far from the madding crowd (pg 13) This shows Bathsheba as being very vain and aware of her looks. I feel that Bathsheba and john Thomas both use their attractiveness to gain what they desire, where as Rudy uses his charms more than his looks. In the relationship involving Bathsheba and Gaberial Oak, Bathsheba instantly hypnotizes Oak with her overwhelming beauty but Oak is aware of Bathshebas ability to break hearts. Bathsheba is neither physically nor sexually attracted to Oak, he feels hurt and thinks her vain. By playing with Oaks emotions Bathsheba gains the upper hand in the relationship, she also uses this strategy in the relationship between Farmer Boldwood and herself. I felt that when Bathsheba thought herself clever by playing with Oak and Boxwoods emotions as thought they were toys, she showed her self to be a cold and insensitive person. In Tickets please John Thomas does something very similar to Annie in the way that he toys with her emotions but he also uses her for his physical needs. This insensitive act leaves Annie feeling very distraught and desperately seeking revenge. The difference in these two relationships lies between the personalities of Annie and Gaberial Oak. Annie seems to be the weaker person as she needs to get her revenge and Oak although hurt moves on with his life but they both still posses feelings for John Thomas and Oak. Rudy and Farmer Boldwood are similar characters, as they used the women to improve their status. Boldwood had not noticed Bathsheba before she sent him a valentine, when he saw the look on mens faces when he enquired about her as though she was a catalogue item; he grew to like her more. I think this was because he thought all these other men obviously like and desire her but she sent her valentine to me. So, he immediately wanted her for his own. Without knowing how Boldwood would react or knowing much about his character she sent the valentine, she thought it a harmless prank but he thought it love. Rudy does the same because he felt that because Maggie was a beauty queen if he spent the night with her this would earn him that little extra respect. Although at first Maggie seems taken by this idea the joke is soon on Rudy when Maggie throws him out for being to sly and cocky. For Bathsheba it is not so easy as Boldwood soon becomes overly obsessive it is interesting to see how Bathsheba reacts to Boldwoods sudden change in character as she probably couldnt of just thrown him out like Maggie through Rudy out as the times are different and so is the class. Bathsheba had to deal with Farmer Boldwood quiet formerly; although Bathsheba has the upper hand on the relationship Boldwood has a kind of emotional control over Bathsheba because she just cannot give him a straight answer. I think she cannot give him a straight answer because he bullies her by using his possessiveness and his need to have her. If a feeling possessed him at all, it ruled him; a feeling not mastering him was entirely latent. Stagnant or rapid, it was never slow. He was always hit mortally, or he was missed Far from the madding crowd (pg 138) I felt that the relationship involving Sergeant Troy and Bathsheba was not Based on love in Troys be have but based on the spur on the moment and the fact that she had money, for if it was based on love Troy would have never left Bathsheba nor would he have said such hurtful things to her. For a man who says that does not love at all. This woman is more to me dead as she is, than ever you were, or are, or can be. If Satan had not tempted me with that face of yours, and those cursed coquetries, I should have married her Far from the madding crowd (pg 334) But, if Troy loved Annie so much wouldnt he have forgiven her for the stupid mistake that she made and married her either the next day or the same day. Instead he just left her because he was not man enough to swallow his pride. In this relationship the attraction was physical and although Bathsheba may have thought that she loved Troy deeply, the love she felt for Troy could not compare to the love that she had always felt but never expressed or thought about or even knew was there for Gaberial Oak. In my view, Bill Naughton was trying to say think about what you do before you do it and also think about the other person, dont just assume you know how the person will react. Otherwise this could be easily turned around and you could be made to look the fool. Thomas Hardy implies you should not base a relationship on transient and superficial aspects on looks. Also that people may not always fall for the person who is going to provide a stable relationship but they may fall for the person who is physically attractive who will not provide a stable relationship. For instance I think Thomas hardy chose the name Gaberial Oak as he was a true friend to Bathsheba and looked out for her like a guardian angel (the angel Gaberial) and the name Oak implies that he is solid and is strong. D. H Lawrence is trying to say that we dont choose whom we decide to fall in love with but one should not destroy a relationship because one gets cold feet. Some of the cultural and social differences between the 18th and 20th centuries reside not only in the relationships described in the three pieces of literature but also in the way they are written about. For example physical love is expressed more openly in the 20th century in Tickets please john Thomas holds Annie publicly. Also in seeing a Beauty Queen Home Rudy and Maggie are seen leaving together and this strongly suggests that they are going to have sexual relations.

Saturday, October 26, 2019

Biometric Technologies: Advantages and Disadvantages

Biometric Technologies: Advantages and Disadvantages Abstract There have two aims of this project. Firstly is to provide an objective analysis of available biometric technologies, to identify their strengths and weaknesses and to investigate a broad range of application scenario in where biometric techniques are better than traditional recognition and verification method. Another aim is to develop a product. Now a day most of the online banking and financial organization are trying to convert their existing online banking in open source Java or in some other open source platform, so that it could be more reliable, secure and difficult for the hacker to hack such open source management system. Most of the systems are still using the login ID and password typing functionality which is not secure at all as anybody can steal password by using a hidden Keystroke logger or like this sort of software and another problem is user need to remember so many password and user ID for different web services. From a statistical observation it found that more than 70% people write down their Username and password, which can be stolen, lost and can be misuse by others. If the organizations could integrate secure fingerprint or any other biometrics built in functionality then it could be more secure, reliable, easier and hassle free for the user. To get ride from such problem I have tried to develop such a model of secure web service integrating with fingerprint recognition where users no need to remember or insert anymore user name or password. Although there has lots of password replacement fingerprint software available in the market but as my knowledge such software doesnt work for completely platform independent (Java based) secure web service. I have used platform-independent Java 2 Platform Enterprise Edition (J2EE), Netbean, Jboss server, sql data base and open source bio-sdk to develop this model. Preface Although this web service has integrated only with the fingerprint functionality due to limitations of hardware and other resources but in here has critically investigate about the strengths and the security hole of other biometric functionality, so that in future such biometrics functionality can be imply. Another constraint with regard to this report is time. To provide more strength and security for that system, many features could be added like development of better algorithm to fix the security hole of the fingerprint software. To cope with the time changes are an inevitable part of the software or web service development but many have been entirely avoided in this case as they would not have added any value to the principal purpose of this project. Problem Areas for that Project Biometrics is a young technology, therefore relative hardware is not that available in the local market and they are so expensive to buy personally. Unfortunately there is no biometrics hardware in the CMSs hardware lab. As well as there is no biometrics software or equipment. It was requested to buy some hardware for this thesis purpose but unfortunately the university was not agree to buy or manage anything which is related to biometrics. Many companies of this biometrics fields were requested personally to help or give information regarding their product but they denied for the marketing reason. There was no biometrics related books in the university library. Moreover the library was unable to provide. So without any technical and theoretical support it was really hard to gain new idea and to make a new product which is related to the biometrics. Some biometrics hardware has been bought personally for this thesis. With the extraordinary help, advice and encourage from the supervisor this work has been done. Section One: Background Literature of Biometrics Chapter 2: Background Literature of Biometrics Now a day biometrics is a well known term in the information technology. The origin of the word biometrics comes from Greek language. Bio means life and metrics means measurement. So the biometrics is related to the measurement of a living thing. But in the information technology it means an automated process where a human is recognised or identified using his/her physiological or behavioural characteristics. The specific physiological characteristics is collected, quantified, measured, compared with the previous stored characteristic and decided. So it is the process for the identification not any innovation. 2.1 A short history of biometrics: In the normal life a person has been recognised or identified based on face, body structure, height, colour, hair etc. So in that sense the history of biometrics identifiers or characteristics is as old as mankind history. In the ancient East Asia, plotters used their fingerprint on their products which is the identification of individual. In the ancient Egypt the people use some characteristics such as complexion, eye colour, hair, height to identify trusted traders. But for a long time biometrics had not been considered as a field of study. At the late 1880, the biometrics gained the interest as a field of study. The credit was Alphonse Bertillon who was an anthropologist and police clerk. He was tried to identify convicted criminal to others. He first discovered and mentioned that some physical measurement of an adult human is invariant of time. These combinations of measurements are different to human to human. So these measurements can be used to recognize an individual from other (Scottish Criminal Record Office, 2002a). His theory was known as Bertillonage or anthropometry. That time his theory was appreciated and thought to be well established. The main measurements which he suggested are given in the picture 2.1. But in the year 1903, it was found that his theory was wrong for the identical twins. That time an identical twin was found, according to his theory they are single person. So the new theory or new characteristics were looking for the identification. It was said that Sir Edward Henry was the first who interested on finger print for the purpose of identification. He was an Inspector General of Bengal police. In 1986, he ordered to record the prisoners fingerprint as an identification measurement. He tried to introduce the classification system of the fingerprint. In the year 1901, Sir Henry was joined as Assistant Commissioner of the Scotland Yard. After then a finger print bureau was established. That time the failure of the anthropometry system made the finger print system well known. Finger print system was started to use for the purpose of identification of a person. The system is used as same way still today. Automated system to read finger print was first introduced in the early 1970s. The first finger-print measurement device was first used in 1972 which was known as Identimeter. This device was used at Shearson Hamil named Wall Street Company. The purpose of this device was time keeping and monitoring. Day after day the interest of this biometric system was increased. The decrease of the hardware cost of the computer and improvement of the algorithm increase the research of the biometrics. 2.2 Biometric characteristics: 2.2.1 General requirements for a characteristic using as a biometric identifier: In the biometric history section, it has been discussed that several characteristics were consider as an identifier of human. But many of them were rejected. According to the Amberg 2003, if a characteristic can be considered as an identifier for the biometric purpose then it should mitigate some requirements such as university (Every human should have that characteristics), uniqueness (That characteristic should be different person to person), permanence (that characteristic should be permanent) and collect ability (that characteristic should be able to collect and that should also be measurable). There are some additional requirement can be applied with a these requirement such as performance (It accuracy should be high, it should need minimum resources), acceptability (it should be accept everywhere and it should also be acceptable to the future users), fraud resistance (It should have higher security level and can be resistance to fraudulent), cost effective (it users benefit sho uld be many times higher then its using cost). 2.2.2 Classification of the characteristics which can be used as biometric identifiers: Biometrics characteristics or identifiers can be categorized into two groups. They are Physiological type and Behavioural type. Physiological type: This type of characteristics is related to human body or anatomy. Finger print reading, DNA analysis and face of individual which are frequently used as biometric identifiers of this type. The use of retina and the iris will be prospective future. This type pf characteristic can be divided as genotype and phenotype. A group of people can have the same genotype characteristics. Blood group, DNA analysis these are the two most commonly used genotype characteristics. In contrast to genotype characteristics, phenotype characteristics can be having only single individual, so this type of characteristics is different from person to person. Finger print, retina and iris are this type of characteristic. Behavioural Characteristics: This type of the characteristic is related to human behaviour. Signature is the most commonly used characteristics of this type. Human voice analysis and key stoke is another two characteristics which are now also be used. This kind of characteristics is the indirect measurement of the human body. This type of characteristics has been learned or trained; therefore these can be different from time to time. But when a human reach in a certain age, the change of behaviour is negligible, therefore these type characteristic used as identifiers. In the 2.2 the frequently used biometrics characteristics have been shown. 2.2.3 Contrast of the biometrics characteristics: A contrast of biometrics characteristics has been given in the table 2.1. Table 2.1: A contrast of the biometrics characteristics (Jaine et al. 1999) From the table 2.1, it has been said that the physiological characteristics have the better performance then the behavioural characteristics. From the table 2.1, it has also been seen that some biometrics trait can be regarded more universal, unique and permanent then the other. Such as Iris, DNA, body odour and finger print. But the Iris, DNA and body odour are promising, they need future research and Experiment. Their cost is high, so they are not cost effective. So, now in present the finger print is one of the most accepted biometric traits. 2.3 Establish Identity Now a day society has been changed significantly. In the past, everyone of a community knew everyone. But now a day, globalization has been changed the situation. Peoples are now interconnected electronically. They are mobile all around the world. So establishing identity is one of the most important task. 2.3.1 Resolving identity of an individual: There are two fundamental problems occurs for this purpose. They are authentication and identification. Authentication problem: This problem is also known as verification. This problem arises to confirm or denied anyones claimed identity. When any person claimed an identity then this operation process required a comparison. The comparison occurs between submitted biometric samples and the stored samples for the claimed identity. This process is called a ‘one to one comparison. For an example an ATM (automatic teller machine) can be considered. For ATM machine the authentication problem has been solved in a two stages process. First stage is to possess a valid ATM card. The second stage is to know the PIN (Personal Identification Number). If anyone know the other persons PIN and possess his/her correspondence ATM card then that person can claimed the identity of the original ATM card owner identity. This kind of fraud activities have been increasing day after day. According to Jain Et Al, 1999, In 1996 ATM associated swindle activities valued in USA 3 billion US dollar. In the oth er hand biometrics system promotes a system which can overcome this authentication problem. Recognition problem: This is also known as identification problem. This problem occurs when a person has been identified from a set template of database. In this problem the persons data has been compared against the data from the database. It is ‘one to many system. An example would help to clear the concept. To identify a criminal a law enforce officials some time lifted finger print or other data from the crime scene. After then they compare the data with the stored data of known criminal. By this way they might be able to identify the criminal. According to the UK Biometrics Working Group (2002), all the biometric matters does not included in the title of verification and identification. Therefore three more pair of terms has been introduced. These three pairs are (1) Positive claim of identity and negative claim of identity, (2) Explicit claim of identity and implicit claim of identity, and (3) Genuine claim of identity and imposter claim of identity. Positive claim of identity is also known as positive identification. In this process the claimed persons identity should have to be enrolled before and known to the system. An example would help to realize the process. An online email account customer enters his or her login name and password into the system, the system compared the combination of these two against a set of data where customer data has been stored before. If the combination of the login name and password has been matched then the user has been verified. The process needs only the login and pass word nothing else. So the email provider does not know who is actually using the account. Negative claim of identity has been known as negative identification. In this process the claimed persons identity has not been stored before. So the claimed person can enters only one time, after entering his/her identity has been stored in the system and he or she cannot enters again. Such kind of example is American Social Security. According to the Jain Et Al, 1999, around a billon of US dollar has been taken away annually by using multiple identities from the social security welfare in USA. In the case of Explicit Claim of Identity, a person unambiguously declares his identity to the system. The claim may be negative claim or positive claim. His/ her submitted identity has been compared with the stored data in one to one comparison. (One to one comparison has been described in the authentication section). Using ATM card is an example of the positive explicit claim of identity. To realize the negative explicit claim of identity, consider an air port where the face recognition system has been established. If a passenger is similar to a known terrorist person then the system would raise the alarm. Then the passenger needs to claim the explicit negative claim of identity. So the passengers other identity such as finger print, iris etch has been compared against that known terrorist in one to one basis comparison. Implicit claim of identity can be positive or negative claim. In this process a persons identity has been compared in ‘one to many comparison basis against all stored identities. When anyone claims an honest claim to be himself or herself then it is called the genuine claim of identity (UK Biometric Working Group, 2002). In this case his / her identity has been truly matched with the stored identity. Imposter Claim of Identity is the process where anyone claims to be someone else is deceit or false (UK Biometric Working Group, 2002). In this case submitted identity does not match with the stored identity. 2.3.2 Verification Technique: According to the Mitnick, 2002, the Verification technique can be divided into three types. They are (1) Knowledge based verification technique, (2) Token based verification technique and (3) Biometric based verification technique. Knowledge based verification system: In this process some information has been used, that information is secret (combination of pass word/PIN/Memorable words etc), usually the person of the original identity has been supposed to be acquainted with secret information. People may travel from distance to distance, so that their memorable secret information will be with them. So it can be said that it will be suitable to use from a distance or remote place. But this type of authentication has some serious drawbacks. By using Trojan horses and Spywares a hacker can know the others secret information. Trojan horses and Spy wares are able to send the key stoke as email. So this knowledge based verification is not a secure system. Most of the times people use their known name as secret information for the knowledge based verification system. So, it might be possible for the others to guess. Sometimes people do not change their secret information in the knowledge based verification system for a long time. Their secret information is not secure. Sometimes they keep their initial secret information, so that it might be easy to hack. Many types of hacking methods have been developed such as dictionary attack, Hybrid methods, brute force attack etc. In comparison to other technologies, this is cheap and has a large level of security stage. Token based verification system: In this system the claimed identity person should have something which should be used with the secret information. ATM card is an example of the token based verification system. It can be said that it is more secure then the knowledge based verification process because if the token has been lost or stolen then its user can notify. Biometric verification system: In this system users biometric distinguishing characteristics such as finger print, face, signature, etc have been used which represents the users appearance. These characteristics are moved with the users they are more secure compare to the other two systems. It is quite impossible to use by the unauthorized person. But this system is relatively costly. Actually no system is fully secure. All of the three systems have some serious drawbacks. Secret information can be hacked, unauthorised person can stole the token and use that and it is also possible to copy biometric information and later replay those (Woodward Et Al. 2003). In order to counter these drawbacks, multiple verification systems can be used. ATM card is an example of the combination of knowledge based verification system and token based verification system. If in the future, the iris scanner is available then it will be more secure if iris scanner has been used with the ATM card. 2.4 The components of a general biometric system and their function: A general biometric system can be divided into five subsystems. They are: (1) Data acquisition system, (2) Data transmission system, (3) Signal processing system, (4) Data storage system and (5) Decision making system. In the 2.2 a general biometric system has been shown. Data acquisition system: It has been assumed that every biometric system has two characteristics. They are uniqueness and repeatability. Uniqueness represents that every persons biometric trait is different. It will not be same for the two persons. The repeatability represents that the biometric trait will be same over time. In this acquisition system the sensors measure the users biometric characteristics. These characteristics are said as samples which have definite attributes. The type of presentation and the reader quality can affect the sample qualities. Data Transmission system: Most of the cases the data collection and processing is not at the same location. So there is a one subsystem which function is to transfer the data. In the data transmission system, compression and expansion has been functioned depend on the size of the sample. The standard protocol has been used for compression and expansion. When the facial image has been sent JPEG format has been used. WSQ format has been used for transferring the data of fingerprint and CELP format has been used for the voice. Data processing system: there are three parts of signal processing system. They are: (1) feature extraction section (2) quality control section, and (3) pattern matching section. At the extraction section the appropriate biometric data has been split from the background information of the sample. This process is called segmentation. For an example, in a face detection system facial image has been separated from the wall or other back ground. After the extraction the quality has been checked. If the quality of the data is very poor then another sample has been asked. After this section, the pattern matching process has been started. After then the decision making section. Featured data from the pattern matching section has been stored to the storage section depends on the function of the overall biometric section. Data storage section: From the pattern matching section, some featured of data has been stored as data storage section as template. The main purpose is to compare with the incoming feature. If the overall system is based on one to one matching then the data storage section can be decentralized but if the overall system has been functioned for the one to many matching then the central data base has been needed. Decision making system: Quality score and the matching score have been sent to the decision making section from the processing section. The decision making system decide the sample has been accepted or denied. The policy is specific depends on the system security expectation. If the number of false non match incident has been increased then the number of false match will be decreased. 2.5 Performance of a biometric system: The main focus of a biometric system is to ensure the security where only the authorised used can be accepted and non authorised users are denied. The system processing speed is usually given to less priority. The main considerable factors of a biometric system are mainly described by some terms such as Failure to En-roll Rate (FTE), Failure to Acquire Rate (FTA), False Acceptance rate (FAR), False Rejection rate (FRR), False Match Rate (FMR), False Non Match Rate (FNMR) etc. False Match Rate (FMR): This represents the serious type of fault of a biometric system. This occurs when an authorised users biometric information match to an unauthorised persons identity. In this case the signal processing system produces a high matching score of a non corresponding template. False Non Match Rate (FNMR): In this case the authorised persons biometric features are unable to produce enough high matching score to qualify. This is the opposite of FMR. One of the main reasons of FNMR is partially less quality of the biometric features. Comparison of FMR and FNMR for the different biometric system: The main aim of a biometric security system is to reduce the rate of False Match Rate (FMR). On the other hand if the False Non Match Rate can be reduced then the system will be more fast and reliable. But all the time there is a relationship between FMR and FNMR. In the 2.4, relationships have been shown for different biometric system. Higher False Match Rate (FMR) is not acceptable, but for the low FMR the False Non Match Rate (FNMR) is considerably higher in every system. Failure to En-roll Rate (FTE): Sometimes the biometric system cannot make a valid template for some users. Although biometric characteristics are universal but some case there are differences. For an example for a very low number of peoples finger print cannot be enrolled in the system such person who use their hands aggressively such as construction workers or carpenter. So Failure to En-roll rate is the ratio of the number of the people whose biometric features cannot be enrolled to system to the number of the total person who use the system. In the 2.5 a practical test result has been shown where Failure to En-roll (FTE) has been measured for the different system (Mansfield Et Al.2001). Failure to Acquire Rate (FTA): Sometimes the system cannot acquire data of the desired quality due to the readers/sensors, instrumental problem, environmental problem, noise level of data, background data etc. Simply Failure to Acquire Rate (FAR) represents those biometric sample which cannot get high quality score to go the decision making section. False Acceptance Rate (FAR) and False Rejection Rate (FRR): these two terms are related to the False Match Rate and False Non Match Rate. False Acceptance Rate (FAR) and False Rejection Rate (FRR) are related to the whole biometric system. On the other hand the False Match Rate and the False Non Match rate are related to the single matching process. So in the case of FAR and FRR, Failure to Acquire Rate of the system should be included. According to Mansfield Et Al.2001, relationships can concluded as follow: FAR (Ï„) = (1-FTA) FMR (Ï„) FRR (Ï„) = (1-FTA) FNMR (Ï„) + FTA Here, FAR- False Acceptance Rate Ï„- Decision threshold FTA- Failure to Acquire Rate FMR- False Match Rate FRR- False Rejection Rate FNMR- False Non Matching Rate Each point of the receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curves is corresponded to a definite threshold decision making score which has a particular False Rejection Rate and False Acceptance Rate. For the Forensic purpose, False Rejection Rate should be lowest and for the high security access purpose, False Acceptance Rate should be lowest. Section Two: Biometric Technology 2.1 Physiological Biometric In this section has mentioned about the pattern of fingerprint, hand geometry, pattern of iris, facial, retinal and vascular characteristics as a possible biometric identifier. 2.1.1 Fingerprint Pattern Fingerprint is the oldest, popular and definitely the most widely publicly acceptable mature biometric identifiers. It perfectly meets the necessary criteria for of a biometric identifier like universality, distinctively, persistent and collectability. They are impressions of the friction ridges on the surface of the hand. In the most application and in this thesis as well, the primary concern is focused on the ridges located above the end joints of fingers. However, in certain forensic applications, the area of importance is broader including the fingers, the palm and the writers palm (WOODWARD ET AL. 2003). Since early 1970 Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has initiated extensive research and development efforts on fingerprint identification. Their main aim was to invent an automated fingerprint identification system (AFIS), so that it could be helpful for forensic purposes (RUGGLES 1996). 2.1.1.1 Feature and Technology There are two main elements in fingerprint matching technique: firstly minutiae matching and secondly pattern matching. In the bellows shows regarding the primary technique that analyzes basic minutia types: Macroscopic overview, universal pattern matching, focus on the integral flow of ridges -these could be categorized into three groups: loops, whorls and arches. Every individual fingerprint should be fit into one of these three categories that shown in the bellows Now a day most of the application depends on the minutiae matching. If a fingerprint scan device capture a typical fingerprint image then there could be identify around 30 to 60 minutia patterns. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has confirmed that it is not possible for two individuals, even for monozygotic twins also to have more than eight common minutiae. For matching minutiae are examine with type, shape, co-ordinate location (x,y) and direction. In the bellows has shown about the automated minutiae matching process based on these attributes: In the above describes a case in where the input image (in left) is trying to match against a stored template (in right). 39 minutiae were detected in the input, while the template contained 42 different minutiae. The matching algorithm identified 36 matching data points. (Source: Prabhakar 2001) In the above , inputted image (in left) has detected 64 minutiae while in the template (in right) contain 65 different minutiae. The algorithm identified 25 completely non-matching data points. There need a scanning or capture device to obtain such images. Since 1970s, lots of researches have been done to develop and improve such devices. As a result optical, capacitive, ultrasonic, thermoelectric, radio frequency and touch less scanners has invented and now a day most of them become less expensive and available in the market. Optical device / scanner: The first method to capture the fingerprint image was the optical scanning technique. Frustrated total internal reflection is the main principle of the operation of such scanner. In that case the finger is placed on the glass platen and illuminated by the laser light. The surface of the finger reflects certain amounts of light depending on the depth of the ridges and valleys and then reflectance is captured by a CCD (charge-coupled device) camera that constitutes of an array of light sensitive diodes called photosites (OGORMAN 1999). The big advantage of such device is they are cheaper among all of the automated biometric devices and also available in the local market. The disadvantage for such device is: it could be easily fooled by impostors. The latent fingerprint left on the scanning surface, its a big drawback of such device as anybody can collect the latent fingerprint image from there to spoof. Optical Scanner â€Å"Digital Persona† has used to integrate the fingerprint scanning support for the product of that project are using popular U.are.U fingerprint recognition systems depicted in the below . In October 2003, the US Department of Defence has chosen digital persona scanner to secure network security at desktops in its offices in Washington, D.C. (digital persona 2009). Capacitive Scanner / devices: since their first appearance in 1990, such devices have become very popular. A capacitive scanner is a solid-state device, which incorporates a sensing surface composed of an array of about 100.000 conductive plates over which lies a dielectric surface. When a user touches the sensor, the human skin acts as the other side of the array of capacitors. The measurement of voltage at a capacitor decreases with the growing distance between the plates. Therefore, the capacitance measured at the ridges of a fingerprint will be higher than the capacitance measured at the valleys. These measurements are then analyzed in a way similar to a sonar scan of the ocean bottom, resulting in a video signal depicting the surface of the fingerprint (OGORMAN 1999). The advantage of capacitive scanners is its very high accuracy rate. Another big advantages that they are much harder to fool than optical scanners since the process requires living tissue. As the users need to touch the silicon chip itself, solid-state scanners are susceptible to electrostatic discharge (ESD). Recent chip designs were specifically developed to withstand high levels of ESD and frequent handling. modern capacitive device manufacturer like Veridicom claims that their chips will survive around 1 million touches (Ryan 2002). Thermoelectric device: It is silicon based. It measures the difference of temperature between the ridges touching the surface of the sensor and the valleys distant from them (OGorman 1999). Although thermal scanning is very promising but it is still an uncommon method. A company named Atmel proponents of this technique. It uses finger sweep method to capture fingerprint in a tiny si

Friday, October 25, 2019

Low Carbohydrate Diets Essay -- Science Research Weight Diet Essays

Low Carbohydrate Diets What is a carbohydrate? A carbohydrate is a member of a large class of natural organic substances. Carbohydrates are in almost everything we eat, sometimes in very small amounts but often times in substantial quantities. Some examples of common carbohydrates are sugars, starch and cellulose. Carbohydrates are important because they provide a storage of energy in our bodies that is quickly accessible. In fact, carbohydrates make up the major source of dietary energy for people all over the world (Stephen 1995). In addition, carbohydrate intake increases levels of a substance called tryptophan in the body, which releases serotonin in the brain. Whether this phenomenon affects our hunger and eating habits is still unclear (Fairburn 1993). Carbohydrates are in almost everything we eat, like sugars, starches and cellulose. What you will find on the web about low-carb diets... Almost all of the information that you'll find on the world wide web about the subject of low-carb diets is basically the same. There are thousands of documents, so rather than reading each one of them just look at this brief summary of the information that is out there. Following the web summary is a literature summary of the information contained in published professional and scientific journals about the topic of low-carb diets. What is a low-carb diet? What is the purpose of a low-carb diet? Low-carbohydrate diets are essentially very simple. The idea is that by restricting daily carbohydrate intake, cravings for carbohydrates will eventually subside, resulting in a lower amount of food consumption and weight loss. Low-carb diets are meant to be used as general weight loss plans, especially for people who a... ..., 1995. Peterson, C.M., and L. Jovanic-Peterson. "Randomized crossover study of 40% vs. 55% carbohydrate weight loss strategies in women" Journal of the American College of Nutrition. 14(4):369-75, Aug, 1995. Racette, S., et all. "Effects of aerobic exercise and dietary carbohydrate on energy expenditure and body composition during weight reduction in obese women". American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 61(3):486-94, March 1995. Stephen, A.M., G.Seiber, Y.Gerster, and D.Morgan. "Intake of carbohydrate and its components-- international comparisons, trends over time, and effects of changing to low-fat diets". American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 62(4):851S-867S, Oct. 1995. Wing, R.R., J.Vazquez and C.Ryan. "Cognitive effects of ketogenic weight reducing diets" International Journal of Obesity & Related Metabolic Disorders. 19(11):811-6, Nov 1995.