Mbti Analysis

Identify the 4 letter MBTI preference for each member of your team. Harun INAK: ESFJ Koray OKSAY: ESFJ Deniz KORKMAZ: ENTP Ayd? n BIRIK: ENTP Firdevs TUNC: INFP Our group is an ENFP. 2. What is your team's MBTI profile (#E /#I, #S /#N, #T / #F, # J / #P? What does the MBTI profile tell you about the way your team may work together (strengths and potential challenges)? †¢ Team: ENFP †¢ E = 4 / I = 1 †¢ S = 2 / N = 3 †¢ T = 2 / F =3 †¢ J = 2 / P = 3 Our group is an ENFP. All other types exist in our group. This is the strength for us and we have good communication skills. We are mostly very perceptive about people's thought and motives and strive for â€Å"win-win† situations as motivational, inspirational; bring out the best in others We have some potential challenges in group; we are not good at conflict and critism. We mostly are easily bored with routine, repetitive tasks and don't pay attention to their own needs 3. How will you work together to leverage your strengths and potential challenges? Our biggest strenght is all other types exist in our group; We have two T (thinker) thats mean Deniz and Aydin are comfortable with conflict and tend to point of view then chances. We have two S (sensing) Koray and Harun are patient with routine, tested ideas. 4. What did your team learn from applying and discussing the tool for this week? Our team learned a lot while discussing the tool ,and it contributed a lot to our intercommunication skills within the team. First of all, we had more clear understanding of each others priorities and working character. During the project we will delegate tasks based on the results of our individual characters. Secondly, we understood that we have such a distributed and diverse Psychological Types in our team which gives us a lot of room for development, and accomplishment against various types of problems. Our team is made out of very different types making us capable of approaching at challenges in different aspects. As a result, we learned that our team is evenly distributed and has a very good balance. 5. Based on your analysis, what specific steps will your team take to improve the way you work We definitely need a meeting as it is decided Tuesday in the team charter. At that meeting, that week's assignment and all the deliverables must be determined to overcome possible confusion before due time. Meeting agenda is important to stay focused on the assignment. These 2 step should be followed strictly to prevent possible conflicts.

Experimental Works on the Effects of Metal Forming Speed

Chapter Four Experimental Plants 4.1 Introduction: This chapter will foreground the experimental work conducted to look into the consequence of metal organizing velocity on the backward-forward combined bulge procedure of polygonal and cylindrical cross subdivision cup saloon form components.. Subsequently, an rating of the extrude specimens has been done to analyze the influence of the procedure on the emphasis distribution in lead specimens. The experimental process consisted of the followers: –Material choice for bulge dice, clouts and workpiece readying.Found. The chemical composings workpiece and for dice, cloutsDesign and fabrication of dice of the backward-forward bulge and typesof Pistons used.Determination of the backward-forward bulge parametric quantities.Execution of the backward-forward bulge procedure.4.2 Materials. 4.2.1 Choice of the work-piece: – The note stuff used in this survey for bulge procedure is ( 99.99 % ) commercially pure lead and its chemical composing listed in Table ( 4.3 ) . Lead can be used as a theoretical account for a figure of metals at different strain rates and temperatures because of similarities in footings of Stress-Strain curves. This is utile in the survey of flow metal in the forming procedure. Equally good as its ability to re-crystallization at room temperature its composing is similar to the hot forming procedure for steel which leads to the absence of strain hardening in this metal. Lord has yielded emphasis, which varies in sum between ( 6-8 MPa ) and the temperature runing point is ( 327 Â °C ) [ 10. Lead is a extremely dense, corrosion opposition and really soft ductile stuff. As shown in figure ( 4-1 ) , A grid has been printed in the forepart of the as shown in figure ( 4-2 ) . Tip for mensurating the supplantings of each point after distortion by the burden required for bulge. Figure ( 4-1 ) : the pure leadFigure ( 4-2 ) : he pure lead Before printed grid printed grid Properties of lead in item are given in table 4.1.The thermic belongingss of pure lead 99 % are as shown. Table 4.1Mechanical belongingss of lead from the documentsMechanical belongingssstatusDensity11300 kg/m3298.15 KYoungaˆYs Modulus of Elasticity16000MPaPoisson Ratio0.44Thermal Expansion Coefficient29e-6298.15 KTable 4.2 Thermal Properties from the documents 4.2.2 Determination of stuff belongingss In the present probe pure Lead ( 99 % pure ) is used as work stuff. Different belongingss of lead stuff like flow emphasis, clash factor, etc. are determined utilizing different compaction method. These belongingss are used in upper edge simulation utilizing FORTARN90. In compaction trial, a big sum of distortion can be achieved before break. 4.2.3 Compression trial This is the simplest compaction trials in which a cylinder compressed axially between smooth platens. This gives the same output emphasis at a tensile trial with little strains when home bases are good lubricated. Friction coefficient at the die face additions as the strain addition a specimen spreads out. From compaction trial we flow emphasis of the stuff can be determined. A lead solid cylinders with two halves 40mm diameter and 70mm length is compressed between good lubricated smooth home bases every bit good as in dry status to find the clash coefficient in greased and dry status both. Due to flux of material diameter additions as length lessenings. By turning operation excess stuff removed to acquire initial diameter. The trial is repeated three times and mean true emphasis vs. true strain graph is plotted from unit of ammunition note with cosine and taper dice are besides discussed in this subdivision. Specimens chemical composing proving 4.2.4 Chemical composing of the metal. The metal, which is used in this survey, is ( 99.99 % ) commercially pure lead. The chemical composings of this stuff as shown in listed in Fig 4.3which is found in the computing machine –controlled Iraqi Ministry of Industry and Minerals The State Company for Inspection & A ; Engineering, Rehabilitation ( SIER ) & A ; BY Central Organization for standardisation and Quality Control as shown in listed in fig 4.4 Fig.4.3 the list of concentrations of elements found within the pure lead specimen Fig.4.4 the list of concentrations of elements found within the pure lead specimen. 4.3 Application of Grid The grid can be applied to the specimens by the followers: –Hand composing or scribing: The grids can be made on the specimens by manus or can be scribed by a crisp pointed acerate leaf. To cipher the strains in the specimen at all points each component of the grid will hold to be measured before and after striving. This method can be used for comparatively soft crystalline stuff like plastics.Machine scribing: Grid can be scribed by machine utilizing governing engines for level and cylindrical surfaces. The single elements in the grid may be indistinguishable and measurings need be made merely after striving. Machine scribed grids are used merely when trials are to be carried up to tear.Ink, pulling: Grid can be drawn with ink on theoretical accounts. The thickness of lines should be every bit little as possible to obtain more truth.Rubber togss: For soft, porous stuffs, thin gum elastic togss of 0.2mm diameter can be glued by latex and strain measurings may be made after lad ing.Photo grid method: Grid can be applied photographically by painting a light sensitive emulsion on the surface of the trial specimen, covering the surface with a maestro grid negative, exposing to strong visible radiation, and developing the end point print in the usual mode.4.4 Procedure of work Grid method is one of the methods of strain analysis, which is whole field in nature. In order to find supplantings and strain constituents at given points of randomly shaped surfaces a grid can be engraved on the surface to be studied. This grid acts as a mention component and the alterations that the grid experiences from the undeformed to the distorted conditions can be utilized to find either supplantings or strains. Two troubles are encountered which limit the usage of grids for mensurating distortions ; foremost, the strains to be measured are normally really little, and in most instances the supplanting readings are hard to do with sufficient truth. This is peculiarly true in stress analysis. However, this method is really much suitable for the survey of distortion in stuffs. Second, when the exposure of the grid web are magnified by the microscope, the images of the grid lines are normally ill defined presenting appreciable mistakes into the displacement readings. This method has the advantages that a photographic record of distortions covers the full field of the specimen. This record can be obtained for either inactive, dynamic elastic or fictile distortions. The strain was measured straight. The distance between the grid lines on the theoretical account was measured by a microscope by maintaining the magnification of microscope same before and after extruded. However, the tried pure lead specimens exhibit extremely accurate consequences when the little elastic distortion can be ignored and merely fictile distortions are taken into consideration.to implement a grid of a known constellation upon the specimens.a computing machine –controlled CNC machine, which is operated and found in the Iraqi Ministry of Industry and Minerals –Engineering Qualification and Testing Affairs Division, is utilized in fig ( 4.6. ) Fig ( 4.6 ) the Computer –Controlled CNC Machine and, pure lead specimen with grid. 4.4.1 Description of the computer–controlled CNC machine: The grids require some experience to derive in order to manage the computer-controlled CNC machine easy, therefore the device is consisted of the following chief parts 1-The Operation-panel As shown in fig ( 4.7 ) . The operating panel for the computer-controlled CNC is responsible for all the plans ( run by the DOS operating system ) needed to put to death the machining procedure onto the workpiece and for organizing scenes. Fig ( 4.7 ) The Operation-panel 2-Machining tool: As shown in fig ( 4.8 ) , The CNC MACHINE has some jaw where the machining tool can be fixed, and this is directed by utilizing the co-ordinate scenes found in the operation panel in order to get at the needed machining operation. Fig ( 4.8 ) of Machining tool Pure lead specimen requires some surface finish skyline trial to accomplish before grid execution processes a machining tool that is attached to a dial gage holding an truth about 1. The grid method was used to cipher the supplanting in the X-axis ( u ) and in Y–axis ( V ) . The dimensions of the grid were ( 70 mm?40 millimeter ) and the length of the square is ( 2mm ) as shown in figure ( 4-9 ) . Fig ( 4-9 ) the scan of pure lead specimen after The grid was photographed before and after backward-forward bulge of the pure lead specimens and the measurings of the supplantings was taken by microscope so scan it for all the specimens. Then the strains at the surface squares gird were calculated in the specimen the strains in the specimen at all points each component of the grid will hold to be measured before and after striving. Finally, the consequences and different boundary conditions were compared with upper edge solution consequences The grid was photographic before and after the rhythm of the sample and the measurings of the supplantings was taken by microscope for all the samples In add-on to the usage of the plan compared to the knock -dimensional images Photography are taken before and after distortion and compare the consequences with theoretical consequences as shown in fig ( 4.10 ) for some specimens before and after bulge Fig ( 4.10 ) shown The specimens of lead after bulge with hexangular clout Fig ( 4.11 ) shown The specimens after bulge with round cloutFig ( 4.12 ) The some specimens after bulge 4.5 The experimental work: – Experimental surveies are carried out with a position to compare the experimental consequences with the theoretical 1s obtain from proposed method of analysis, and upper edge method are carried out from commercially machine available for bulge of The dice with cone angle of ( 120 ) and polygonal clouts ( hexangular ) .the machine have three regardful velocity to compression the stuff at ( 0.002,0.00 3,0.004 ) m/s which are used in our survey, Three decrease countries of dies ( 30 % , 0.50 % , ) are used a cylindrical and hexangular Piston diameters of 40 millimeters and 30 millimeter as shown Fig ( 4-8 ) , crown out of the metal and a diameter of 25mm,15 millimeters and 10mm slots so have been a rounding each diameters of the Pistons. Experiments are done for both backward-forward bulge procedure. Commercially available lead is used for workpecies experiment when used low metal steel for organizing dice of the backward-forward bulge procedure. An bulge apparatus for laboratory experi mentation is designed and the chief of the of the backward-forward bulge theoretical account, consists of four parts ; viz. , the container holding a round chamber, the squeeze outing clout, bulge dice holder and the back uping block for the assembly. Fig ( 4.13 ) shown hexangular clout and round clout 4.6 Die design and fabrication The sets of backward – frontward bulge dice ( at three different per centum country decrease ( 0.30,0.50 ) % . ) , are employed for experimentation.by two allow diameter dice 15mm, 25mm with bulge procedure lead, and a cylindrical Piston diameters of 40 millimeters and 35 millimeter and 30 millimeters piston hexangular diameters of 40 millimeters and 35 millimeter and 30 millimeter and for present analysis. The inside informations of the bulge dies are presented in Figures ( 4.12 ) & A ; ( 4.13 ) . Fig ( 4-14 ) OF The parts of dice Fig ( 4-15 ) OF The parts of dice Have been utilizing AUTO-CAD plan for die design as shown in fig ( 4-10 ) and so was manufactured by the workshops of the Iraqi Ministry of Industry and Minerals The State Company for Inspection & A ; Engineering, Rehabilitation ( SIER ) utilizing this operating machine and lathe in add-on to making high- preciseness surface about 0.51?m after it has been carry oning minutess Calories appropriate for the templet and before used. Fig ( 4-16 ) dicedesign by AUTO-CAD plan Figure ( 4-17 ) OF The some parts of dice after design Figure ( 4-18 ) OF The some parts of the dice after fabrication and surface coating operations 4.7 Chemical composing of the metal of the dice parts. The metal, which is used in this survey, commercially low metal steel. The chemical composings of this stuff as shown in listed in Fig ( 4.-16 ) which is found in the computing machine –controlled Iraqi Ministry of Industry and Minerals The State Company for Inspection & A ; Engineering Rehabilitation ( SIER ) Figure 4.19 the list of concentrations of elements found within low metal steel used to decease 1

Analysis of Case Study for Skills and Knowledge - myassignmenthelp

The enablers of innovation mainly help in bringing the continuous stream of the innovation related strategies of the organizations. The innovation enablers help in the application of the skills, knowledge and the specific tools in the organizations. The five different types of enablers are discussed below, Introduction and change and the implementation of innovative ideas are sometimes difficult for the organizations. The driving forces of innovation can be described as the factors which help in the implementation of change in the organizations. The first driver of innovation in organizations is commoditization. This force relates to the pressure of driving the prices and the margins lower. The digital revolution in the external environment deals acts as a driving force for the changes to be implemented in the organizational processes. The advent of social media in the business world acts as a driver of innovation and helps in the creation of communities, sharing information and connecting the people instantly. Globalization is another major driver of the innovation in organizations. The levels of competition have increased due to the increase in the scope of business of the organizations. The high levels of competition further enable innovation and change implementation in the various organizations. The increasing turbulence in the business environment due to the changes in the economy and shift in the demographics acts as a driver of the innovation in the organization (Gupta and Barua 2016). The companies need to move in a faster pace to compete with the others in the market and improve their operations accordingly. The culture of the organization where change is to be implemented is also a driver of innovation. The enablers of innovation on the other hand are mainly related to the behaviour and the attitudes of the employees. The structure of the organization is a major enabler of innovation. The structure is mainly related to the hierarchy of the organization and the ways by which the instructions and directions related to change reach the employees. The skills of the employees of the organization play a major role in the implementation of change and innovative ideas (Rizos et al. 2016). The difference between the drivers and the enablers of innovation is that the drivers of innovation are mainly related to the factors of the organization and the external environment where it operates. On the other hand, the enablers of innovation are mainly related to the employees and the internal environment of the organization. The enablers mainly deal with the skills and the attitudes of the employees who are a major part of the entire change process (Hussein et al. 2016). The process of innovation in an organization is supported by various mechanisms which are discussed as follows, The organization which has been examined in the case study, namely, ACME, believed in the creation of innovative methods to perform business operations. The organization has a modern infrastructure and the research and development facility which is present in the company helps the employees in the process of thinking. The innovative ideas and nature of the employees are nurtured and encouraged by the management of the organization. The organization has been developing the research and development related facilities since the time of its establishment. The surplus revenues that are gained in the operations of the organization are invested in further developing the research and development related facilities. The owner of the organization also spends most of the time with the employees who are a part of the R & D team. This helps in fostering their talent and innovative ideas further and work in a collaborative manner (Bhanot, Rao and Deshmukh 2017).   Bhanot, N., Rao, P.V. and Deshmukh, S.G., 2017. An integrated approach for analysing the enablers and barriers of sustainable manufacturing.  Journal of cleaner production,  142, pp.4412-4439. Dubey, R., Sonwaney, V., Aital, P., Venkatesh, V.G. and Ali, S.S., 2015. Antecedents of innovation and contextual relationship.  International Journal of Business Innovation and Research,  9(1), pp.1-14. Gupta, H. and Barua, M.K., 2016. Identifying enablers of technological innovation for Indian MSMEs using best–worst multi criteria decision making method.  Technological Forecasting and Social Change,  107, pp.69-79. Hussein, A.T.T., Singh, S.K., Farouk, S. and Sohal, A.S., 2016. Knowledge sharing enablers, processes and firm innovation capability.  Journal of Workplace Learning,  28(8), pp.484-495. Kaushik, A., Kumar, S., Luthra, S. and Haleem, A., 2014. Technology transfer: enablers and barriers–a review.  International Journal of Technology, Policy and Management,  14(2), pp.133-159. Mageswari, S.U., Sivasubramanian, C. and Dath, T.S., 2015. Knowledge management enablers, processes and innovation in small manufacturing firms: a structural equation modeling approach.  IUP Journal of Knowledge Management,  13(1), p.33. Rizos, V., Behrens, A., Van Der Gaast, W., Hofman, E., Ioannou, A., Kafyeke, T., Flamos, A., Rinaldi, R., Papadelis, S., Hirschnitz-Garbers, M. and Topi, C., 2016. Implementation of circular economy business models by small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs): Barriers and enablers.  Sustainability,  8(11), p.1212. Tran, V. and Voyer, B., 2015. Fostering innovation: An organisational perspective.  British Journal of Healthcare Management,  21(3), pp.141-145.

The Relationship Between Predators and Scavengers Essay

The Relationship Between Predators and Scavengers - Essay Example The issue raised in the story has raised the emotions of the readers. Luna the most loved whale dies in British Columbia waters. The orphaned whale had won the heart of many whale lovers around the world the globe. The appearance of the young killer whale at Nootka had attracted much attention from the media around the world. The whale enjoyed developing relationship with people and played with anything around it including the boats. The close relationship between the whale and the humans was, unfortunately, the cause of its death. The young Luna was killed had been killed by a boats propeller in 2006. Even though the occurrence saddened many people, a few individuals were relieved since the animal’s curious behavior had resulted in number problems that had not yet been resolved. Luna’s playfulness had destroyed many boats creating conflicts with the boat owners. The challenges were difficult to determine by fisheries officers (Henderson, 160-162). Groc was not successf ul in avoiding emotional response. The writer tried to explain the issues that may have led to the whale being lonely. The writer continued to explain how the whale had struggled to develop a relationship with the human beings. It was desirable for the writer to produce an emotional response with an intention of keeping the reader on the track. The authors desire to look at the issues objectively and equitably were effectively achieved. She explains how the orphaned whale had developed friends and enemies in different measures. Despite the whale struggling to build a relationship with humans, she was killed by the same people that she used to play with. I totally agree that humans were responsible for the demise of the orphaned Luna, since the whale was discovered.

Lewin Theory Force-Field Model Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Lewin Theory Force-Field Model - Essay Example He also argued that in order to realize desired change, the change agents should suppress the restraining forces but promote the driving forces of change. This model has been widely used in the health sector to introduce and implement change. Developing nursing theory of change from Lewin (1951), Force-Field Model, and its application in the medical/surgical floor. Change is a common occurrence in our society and natural environment all over the world. It is a common saying that the only permanent phenomenon is change. Change generally means the alteration of something or an organism in any of its aspects. For example, when one alters his or her behavior for any reason, then that is change. Since change is a very important phenomenon in our society, there has been a lot of debate about it in political, social and economic spheres. IIes and Sutherland (2001), observe that change can either be planned or emergent; the former denotes conscious reasoning plan to attain desirable change d ue to the flaws of the status quo. In contrast, emergent change happens spontaneously without plan and this type of change is fueled by both external and internal forces in an organization. Numerous theories have been developed to explain change and to give room for empirical research. Before we proceed, it is important to know what a theory is. A theory is a formal set of ideas that are intended to explain why something happens or exists (Hornby 2003). Lewin (1951), developed force-field model of change. The force field model was a major development for nursing change theories since it has influenced many of them. The nursing force field theory is considered to be the mother of nursing theories. The paper will explore the force field theory, its applications, and how it has evolved in the medical sector. According to IIes and Sutherland (2001), there is need for change in the health service and this need has been expressed by professionals, governments and researchers. Lewin (1951) , developed force field theory and it has had a great influence on nursing change theories. He offered an elaborate explanation on the behavior human beings through his force-field model of change. In the theory, Lewin conceptualized three steps, unfreezing, moving and refreezing, when he described the process of change (Bozak 2003). At the unfreezing stage the problem is identified. There have been many problems that nurses encounter during their practice like data management, poor working conditions, poor relationship with the hospital administration, and exposure to health risks among others. At this stage, the particular problem is identified and brainstorming is done to determine the most appropriate way of solving it. Once the problem has been identified, its solution is required through change to avoid breakdown or deterioration of an organization. When solving a problem, there are often obstacles that are met. Many often resist change due to fear of the unknown and the desir e to maintain the status quo. At this stage strategies are put in place to ensure that the resistance is appropriately dealt with. Generally, people resist change when they feel that they have been left out of the process. Change agents at this stage are to make nurses own the change by involving them in the negotiations and receiving their feedbacks on the intended change. Lewin classified factors causing change into two categories, driving and restraining forces. Driving forces include the underlying

Crafting a Compensation and Benefits Plan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Crafting a Compensation and Benefits Plan - Essay Example Despite these internal factors, there are also those external factors that compel the manager to offer a particular salary range for employees. Some of these include the salary that is provided for the same position by other organizations that provide similar kinds of services. However, the ability to recruit and maintain employees lies on the ability to value and appreciate their efforts as opposed to issuing any monetary values. Comparable organizations in the same industry tend to offer varied salary and benefit ranges for the purposes of recruiting and retaining their employees for different reasons. In this case, the company that I created in a coffee shop that is renowned for the best service of beverages. This is mainly because both the provision of goods and services are given directly to the customers by the employees hence it is important to ensure that the best are recruited and the best efforts made to retain them for the sake of customer satisfaction. Those that may be involved as competitors and who are in the same industry include supermarkets and large retail chain stores as well as restaurants that may be involved in the sale of similar products at the same price. All of these tend to have the same structure in the composition of their staff and overall staffing with minor differences hence similar levels and need for recruitment and retention. Their salary and benefit ranges are as follows The 21st Century is varied from the other periods in terms of the abilities to recruit and maintain employees in terms of payment. What the current employees consider as benefits is completely different from what they considered to be so in the past. Monetary terms and payment played a large role in the recruitment and retention of employees in the past. It is, however, no longer the case as the current employees consider the value of the organization towards them more. What they consider as benefits of the company is the need to be engaged and involved

Critical Risks, Problems, and Assumptions on Sports Facility Essay

Critical Risks, Problems, and Assumptions on Sports Facility - Essay Example etween two parities involved in practice or main match, violence attacks like those that happen in a real match, immunity issues, and sloppy physical examination of the participant before taking part in a sport event etc. The Facility manager carries the most responsible position to tackle the risk factors and arrange a strategic plan to manage the risks either by appointing a physician, or insurance coverage etc. Risks such as baseball foul balls might hit at the audience, a facility owner deserves the responsibility to provide enough screened seats for those who may request them and the most risky part of the facility requests to be monitored. Spectators might be at big risk of the balls hitting at them, other than this cleaning the floor, providing a safe environment removing slapping hazard, the facility owner should see that the party getting injured should not develops further damages, this is called as assumption of risks.. A facility manager holds the responsibility to set a risk management programme to reduce the possibilities of risks. Assumption of risk is the ability of the participant to understand the general risk of injuries involved in the sport he takes part. The assumption should be understood legally by the participant, which will act as a â€Å"legal defence† [Ray, 2000]. The participant should be able to undertake the activities without paying much attention towards the hazards. Chen & Esposito [2004] observes assumption of risk under two conditions they are â€Å"(a) The athlete must fully appreciate and understand the type and magnitude of the risk involved in participation. (b) The athlete must also â€Å"knowingly, voluntarily, and unequivocally† choose to participate† Chen & Esposito. [2004]. Insurance: There are special types of insurance coverage given for sports facilities such as [1] Accident insurance – in the case of injuries, sever hurts etc, [2]. Equipments Insurance- this is a special insurance coverage given for the sports

Subsidizing oil companies in usa Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Subsidizing oil companies in usa - Essay Example Perhaps, one of the greatest debates has concerned the viability of these oil subsidies. This issue presents a conflict of interest; whether the government should support the American taxpayers (the public) or the oil companies seems to be a matter of debate. The primary reason why these subsidies should be abolished is that the oil industry has not reached a state where it is making huge profits; therefore, it no longer remains the ‘infant’ industry it once used to be. According to one article, the effect of providing oil subsidies to the already rich nations such as U.S is that of making the richest countries even richer. Profits amounting to $80 billion were made cumulatively by three of the largest oil companies in the U.S in 2011 (Slack). Thus, because these oil companies have a huge turnover and are largely self-sufficient there seems little point in the continuance of oil subsidies. It is believed that the money allocated to these oil subsidies should be invested in institutions which lack funds, such as the provision of old-age homes, medical facilities etc. Also, the oil companies are already been given the incentive to increase output by the rising global oil prices; therefore, there remains little role that subsidies can play. This also means that the taxpayers are being effectively taxed ‘twice’ which means that they are paying a premium amount for getting the fuel and also having their taxes being used as subsidies for these companies (Cooper and Weisman). According to one estimate, one of the companies used as much as $225,000 per day to write off majority of the cost of a sunken oil rig during the Gulf oil spill (Koceiniewski). Considering the huge amounts, the subsidies are rejected on the grounds of being unfair to the American taxpayers as an exorbitant amount of their money is being used up in them. There seems to be a boom in the American oil industry lately. The output of domestic oil has reached its highest levels since the past few years. Since the past few years, the American oil industry has grown self-sufficient in that the domestic companies are producing more than the amount of oil imported by the U.S (Slack). Also, there have been political efforts to enhance oil production, for instance, by allotting land to oil companies for production. Furthermore, the most obvious reason why oil subsidies in the U.S should be discontinued is that it would free up money and resources for public use. These resources could instead be invested in ‘green’ and sustainable initiatives which would mean finding alternate sources of energy that is environmental friendly and efficient (Slack). These initiatives are both politically and environmentally viable as research indicates massive public support for investment in green initiatives. The public is in favor of giving tax incentives to companies who would produce electricity from wind, solar and water sources (Slack). Oil subsidies are merely fulfilling a short term need in the sense that there is little investment in the ‘future’. This short-termism is clearly inappropriate as it is the need of the hour to invest in finding alternate, renewable energy sources such as wind and solar power. This is linked to the argument that the discontinuance of oil subsidies would result in a greener environment as greenhouse emissions would be reduced due to lower resulting output. Thus, the idea of oil subsidization is self-contradictory in that it

Employment Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Employment Law - Essay Example Based on the reported facts, at the onset before Tanya was actually hired by your company, she already concealed a material information prior to her employment, which was her medical condition as she suffered from Trigeminal Neuralgia. Her present medical condition constrained her to report to daily to work if she is suffering an attack. Clearly, your company is already experiencing losses due to her absences. The constant conflict between Brian and Tanya must be resolved by the employer. Brian’s act of falsely accusing Tanya as â€Å"useless† and not being capable of carrying out her job already constitutes as a form of harassment (Isle of Wight Tourist Board v Coombes [1976] IRLR 413). As the boss of both Brian and Tanya, you are expected to resolve the friction between the two employees and to stop any form of harassment and to make sure to avoid it from happening again in the future. On the issue of incompetency of Tanya, it was recently discovered that she committe d major blunders in the company while she was still an employee because the banking records are inaccurate and what’s worse is that she even misappropriated a sum of money since the petty cash fund is short by a ?100, which was under her custody while she was still an employee. This is a gross misconduct on her part and considered as stealing money from the company. I. ANALYSIS Under the law, a constructive dismissal case will only prosper if it satisfies the requirements provided under the law. The Employee Rights Act of 1996 of Section 95(c) provides that the employee terminates the contract under which he is employed with or without notice in circumstances in which he is entitled to terminate it without notice by reason of the employer’s conduct (Employee Rights Act: 1996). In these circumstances, the employer’s behaviour constitutes a repudiation of the contract and the employee accepts the repudiation by resigning (Lewis 2009, p.210). In the case at bar, Ta nya informed the employer that she is no longer reporting to work because of the verbal conduct of Brian against her. Here, it is not the employer’s conduct or behaviour which forced Tanya to resign, but was caused by Brian’s verbal abuse on her. In all fairness to you as the employer, you made reasonable efforts to prevent the harassment from happening again by telling Brian to stop the verbal abuse on Tanya. However, Brian was still not able to resist throwing invectives against Tanya in the workplace. The day after her last fight with Brian, she immediately filed the case without going through mediation. On the other hand, under the Protection from Harassment Act of 1997, a person must not pursue a conduct (a) which amounts to harassment of another and; (b) which he knows or ought to know amounts to harassment of another (Protection from Harassment Act: 1997). Clearly, Brian is guilty of verbally abusing Tanya every time he accuses her of incompetence in from of peo ple in the office (Cortaulds v Andrew [1979] IRLR 85 ). Thus, this instance will fall as harassment on the part of Brian. As a general rule, the employer is liable for the acts of its employees under the principle of vicarious liability. However, the employer can avoid liability for discriminatory harassment if they can prove that they took such steps that were reasonably practical to prevent harassment from occurring. Furthermore, individual employees may also be liable, for

Ancient Greece Location Essay Example for Free

Ancient Greece Location Essay Ancient Greece is a civilization belonging to a period of Greek history that lasted from the Archaic period of the 8th to 6th centuries BC to the end of antiquity (ca. 600 AD). Immediately following this period was the beginning of the Early Middle Ages and the Byzantine era. Included in Ancient Greece is the period of Classical Greece, which flourished during the 5th to 4th centuries BC. Classical Greece began with the repelling of a Persian invasion by Athenian leadership. Because of conquests by Alexander the Great, Hellenistic civilization flourished from Central Asia to the western end of the Mediterranean Sea. Classical Greek culture had a powerful influence on the Roman Empire, which carried a version of it to many parts of the Mediterranean region and Europe, for which reason Classical Greece is generally considered to be the seminal culture which provided the foundation of Western culture. Land: Greece has very hot, dry summers. Rain only falls in winter. This restricts crops in many areas to grapes and olives and the animals to sheep and goats. However, there are also rolling plains that are ideal for growing crops like wheat and barley. As only a certain amount of food could be obtained locally, the Ancient Greeks built boats to fish and to trade what they had. There was no sugar, so honey or boiled grape juice were used as sweeteners. There were often wars when cities wanted to take over the land of a neighboring city. Mountains Greece is made up almost entirely of mountainous land with only small areas of lowlands. The mountains are beautiful but made it hard to farm and make a living. They also made it hard to travel and communicate with people a distance away. The mountains divided the cities in Ancient Greece and each city had its own customs and ideas. Greece consists of a large mainland at the southern end of the Balkans; the Peloponnesus peninsula (separated from the mainland by the canal of the Isthmus of Corinth); and numerous islands (around 3,000), including Crete, Rhodes, Kos, Euboea and the Dodecanese and Cycladic groups of the Aegean Sea as well as the Ionian sea islands. Greece has more than 15,000 kilometres of coastline and a land boundary of 1,160 kilometres. About 80% of Greece consists of mountains or hills, thus making Greece one of the most montainous countries of Europe. Western Greece contains lakes and wetlands. Pindus, the central mountain range, has a maximum elevation of 2,636 m. The Pindus can be considered as a prolongation of the Dinaric Alps. The range continues by means of the Peloponnese, the islands of Kythera and Antikythera to find its final point in the island of Crete. (Actually the islands of the Aegean are peaks of underwater mountains that once consisted an extension of the mainland). The Central and Western Greece area contains high, steep peaks dissected by many canyons and other karstic landscapes, including the Meteora and the Vikos gorge the later being the second largest one on earth after the Grand Canyon in the US. Mount Olympus forms the highest point in Greece at 2,919 metres above sea level. Also northern Greece presents another high range, the Rhodope, located in Eastern Macedonia and Thrace; this area is covered with vast and thick century old forests like the famous Dadia. Plains are mainly found in Eastern Thessaly, Central Macedonia and Thrace.Greeces climate is divided into three well defined classes the Mediterranean, Alpine and Temperate, the first one features mild, wet winters and hot, dry summers. Temperatures rarely reach extremes, although snowfalls do occur occasionally even in Athens, Cyclades or Crete during the winter. Alpine is found primarily in Western Greece (Epirus, Central Greece, Thessaly, Western Macedonia as well as central parts of Peloponessus like Achaea, Arkadia and parts of Lakonia where the Alpine range pass by). Finally the temperate climate is found in Central and Eastern Macedonia as well as in Thrace at places like Komotini, Xanthi and northern Evros; with cold, damp winters and hot, dry summers. Its worth to mention that Athens is located in a transition area between the Mediterranean and Alpine climate, thus finding that in its southern suburbs weather is of Mediterranean type while in the Northern suburbs of the Alpine type. About 50% of Greek land is covered by forests with a rich varied vegetation which spans from Alpine coniferous to mediterranean type vegetation. Seals, sea turtles and other rare marine life live in the seas around Greece, while Greeces forests provide a home to Western Europes last brown bears and lynx as well as other species like Wolf, Roe Deer, Wild Goat, Fox and Wild Boar among others. Ancient Greece We begin to look at the geography of ancient Greece by examining how Greeks lived on their farms, why they traded, road systems, and the plant life that ancient Greece had. Geography has always had a great influence on Greece and its inhabitants. It is largely responsible for numerous continuities in its extensive history. While the mountains that split the Greek lands have contributed to localism they have been a major barrier to unity as a nation. The struggle of communication by land and the significant presence of the sea have made mariners out of Greeks for numerous generations. The natural resources ensure a steady flow of abundance and guarantee sustenance if governed wisely. Farming In ancient Greece, many cities had land that was used for farming within the city, but most of the people lived in small towns and villages outside of the city. Archeological survey indicates that there were even smaller settlements such as hamlets (very small villages), and isolated farms which were only lived in seasonally. According to this information, there would have been many villages, hamlets, single farms, and occasional small towns scattered over the land; as can still be seen in Crete. The Greeks had their private space that consisted of the agricultural fields in the territory of the polis and their houses compacted in settlements, whether in the central town of the city-state, in smaller towns, or villages. Ancient Greeks preferred to live in such compacted settlements, even when agriculture was their main source of support. Occasionally, there has been evidence of how agricultural land was organized by the residents of the settlements in rectangular and equal lots. The idea was that each family would farm a single plot of land. But, there was a tendency for farmland to become divided and for a landowner to own many plots of land scattered all over the community. The land was organized for mules and donkeys with built mule-tracks reaching every settlement. Since the Bronze Age, there had been chariots and wagons with roads that that were easy to drive on, but the roads were not easy to drive on. Classical Greek roads were more complete with grooves cut for the wheels in steep and rocky places. The road system, the landscape, the markets, and the farms were all part of the geography of ancient Greece. Greece has thousands of islands Ancient Greeks became a sea-going people due to the close proximity of the sea to most Greek city-states. These merchants and traders developed a sense of freedom and independence not seen before. Map of Phoenician and Greek colonies at about 550 BC In Ancient Greece, colonies were sometimes founded by vanquished people, who left their homes to escape subjection at the hand of a foreign enemy; sometimes as a sequel to civil disorders, when the losers in internecine battles left to form a new city elsewhere; sometimes to get rid of surplus population, and thereby to avoid internal convulsions. But in most cases the motivation was to establish and facilitate relations of trade with foreign countries and further the wealth of the mother-city (in Greek, metropolis). Colonies were established in Ionia and Thrace as early as the 8th century BC.[7] More than thirty Greek city-states had multiple colonies around the Mediterranean world, with the most active being Miletus, with ninety colonies stretching throughout the Mediterranean Sea, from the shores of the Black Sea and Anatolia (modern Turkey) in the east, to the southern coast of the Iberian Peninsula in the west, as well as several colonies on the northern coast of Africa with the overall sum[citation needed] being 1500 from the late ninth, up to the 5th century BC. There were two similar types of colonies, á ¼â‚¬Ãâ‚¬ÃŽ ¿ÃŽ ¹ÃŽ ºÃŽ ¯ÃŽ ± apoikia (pl.: á ¼â‚¬Ãâ‚¬ÃŽ ¿ÃŽ ¹ÃŽ ºÃŽ ¯ÃŽ ±ÃŽ ¹, apoikiai) and á ¼ ÃŽ ¼Ãâ‚¬ÃŽ ¿Ã ÃŽ ¯ÃŽ ± emporia (pl.: á ¼ ÃŽ ¼Ãâ‚¬ÃŽ ¿Ã ÃŽ ¯ÃŽ ±ÃŽ ¹, emporiai). The first type of colonies were city-states on their own; the second were Greek trading-colonies. The Greek city-states began establishing colonies around 800 BC, at first at Al Mina on the coast of Syria and the Greek emporium Pithekoussai at Ischia in the Bay of Naples, both established about 800 BC by Euboeans.[8] Two flushes of new colonists set out from Greece at the transition between the Dark Ages and the start of the Archaic Period, one in the early 8th century BC and a second burst of the colonizing spirit in the 6th century. Population growth and cramped spaces at home seem an insufficient explanation, while the economical and political dynamics produced by the competitive spirit between the frequently kingless, newly introduced concept of the Greek city-states, striving to expand their sphere of economical influence better fits as their true incentive. Through this Greek expansion the use of coins flourished throughout the Mediterranean Basin. Ancient Greek colonies on the northern coast of the Black Sea, c. 450 BCE Influential Greek colonies in the western Mediterranean included Cyme (Aeolis), Rhegium (Rhegion) by Chalcis and Zankle (c. 8th century), Syracuse by Corinth/Tenea (c. 734 BC), Naxos by Chalkis (c. 734 BC), Massalia (what millennia later became Marseille, France) by Phokaia (c. 598 BC), Agathe by Phokaia (shortly after Massalia), Elea (Velia) by Phokaia and Massalia (c. 540 BC), Emporion (nowadays Spain) by Phokaia/Massalia (early 6th century), Antipolis (nowadays France) by Achaea, Alalia (Corsica) by Phokaia/Massalia (c. 545 BC) and Cyrene (North Africa) by Thera (762/61 and 632/31 BCE).[9] Several formulae were generally adhered to on the solemn and sacred occasions when a new colony set forth. If a Greek city was sending out a colony, an oracle, especially one such as the Oracle of Delphi, was almost invariably consulted beforehand. Sometimes certain classes of citizens were called upon to take part in the enterprises; sometimes one son was chosen by lot from every house where there were several sons; and strangers expressing a desire to join were admitted. A person of distinction was selected to guide the emigrants and make the necessary arrangements. It was usual to honor these founders of colonies, after their death, as heroes. Some of the sacred fire was taken from the public hearth in the Prytaneum, from which the fire on the public hearth of the new city was kindled. And, just as each individual had his private shrines, so the new community maintained the worship of its chief domestic deities, the colony sending embassies and votive gifts to the mother-citys principal festivals for centuries afterwards. The relation between colony and mother-city, known literally as the metropolis, was viewed as one of mutual affection. Any differences that arose were made up, if possible, by peaceful means, war being deemed excusable only in cases of extreme necessity. The charter of foundation contained general provisions for the arrangement of the affairs of the colony, and also some special enactments. The constitution of the mother-city was usually adopted by the colony, but the new city remained politically independent. If the colony sent out a fresh colony on its own account, the mother-city was generally consulted, or was at least requested to furnish a leader. Frequently the colonies declaring their commitment to the various metropolitic alliances formed in the Greek mainland and for religious reasons would pay tribute in religious centres, like Delphi, Olympia or Delos.[10] It is worth noting that the Peloponnesian War was in part a result of a dispute between Corinth and her colony of Corcyra (Corfu). The cleruchs, known in Greek as klà ªrouchoi, formed a special class of Greek colonists, being assigned individual plots of land in the place to which they had been assigned. The trade factories set up in foreign countries, such as Egypt, were somewhat different from the ordinary colonies, the members retaining the right of domicile in their own fatherland and confining themselves to their own quarter in the foreign city.

Timed Efficient Stream Loss-Tolerant Authentication (TESLA)

Timed Efficient Stream Loss-Tolerant Authentication (TESLA) When considered as a security solution for ADS-B, asymmetric-key encryption has two major drawbacks. The first issue is that current asymmetric-key schemes have no compact encryption implementations, and would result in an increase of the transmitted ADS-B message length. The second problem is that unique encrypted ADS-B messages would be required for each recipient. To maintain a fully-connected network of n nodes would necessitate (n2 à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ n) unique broadcasts rather than n in the current system [15], which obviously does not scale well as the size of the network increases. As a possible answer to these two drawbacks, Costin et al. [3] have suggested what they term a lightweight PKI solution. In the lightweight PKI approach, node A transmits its digital signature over n messages, so that after every n messages, the surrounding nodes have received As digital signature. The recipients keep the messages until the entire digital signature has been transmitted and they can authenticate the buffered messages. The authors suggest that the PKI key distribution necessary for this scheme could be done during an aircrafts scheduled maintenance cycle [13]. A security scheme called Timed Efficient Stream Loss-Tolerant Authentication (TESLA) is a variation on traditional asymmetric cryptography that has been proposed for use on broadcast networks [19], [20]. With TESLA, senders retroactively publish their keys which are then used by receivers to authenticate the broadcast messages. A broadcasting node produces an encrypted message authentication code (MAC) which is included with every message. After a designated time interval or number of messages, the key to decrypt the senders MAC is published. Listening receivers who have buffered the senders previous messages can then decrypt the messages that were broadcast. When applied to ADS-B, this technique imposes a time delay on the broadcast due to the need to buffer messages, but it provides integrity and continuity of messages sent over the network. TESLA is an adaption of the TESLA protocol designed for use on wireless sensor networks. The TESLA protocol requires nodes in the network to be loosely time synchronized, with each node having an upper bound on the maximum clock synchronization error. As discussed earlier, asymmetric encryption schemes have high computation and communication overhead, which limit their usefulness as security approaches on the bandwidth-constrained ADS-B network. The TESLA protocol overcomes this problem by employing asymmetric-key encryption through a delayed disclosure of symmetric keys, which results in an efficient broadcast authentication scheme. When one considers the bandwidth and interference limitations on the ADS-B frequency channel, the TESLA design adaptations identify this protocol as a viable scheme for providing security in ADS-B. However, there are two obstacles to applying TESLA to ADS-B. The primary issue is that, while sufficiently good time synchronization could be provided via GPS, it would require modification to the protocol to accommodate the GPS timestamp field. The second problem is that in order for TESLA to be used for verifying the identity of a network node, it needs to be reinitialized which leaves it susceptible to memory- based DoS attacks. In spite of these drawbacks, TESLA is a promising security scheme for integrating into ADS-B. B. Aircraft Address Message Authentication Code The cryptographic solutions PKI and TESLA both have shortcomings in that they require modifications to the current ADS-B protocol. The Aircraft Address Message Authentication Code (AA-MAC) security solution utilizes a standard hash algorithm such as MD5 or SHA and a secret authentication key to perform message integrity [21]. The AA-MAC message source integrity scheme would require a slight modification to the existing protocol in that it would replace the current Aircraft Address (AA) field with the MAC, but the ADS-B message is otherwise unchanged. The AA-MAC approach proposes a different aircraft identification strategy, assigning a unique identifier to each aircraft that is good for the duration of a particular flight. As with PKI cryptographic approaches, the distribution of the secret key presents challenges for AA-MAC. Since MAC requires just one key which is used to uniquely identify a sender on the network, the simplest approach would be to distribute the secret key only whe n an aircraft intends to enter the air traffic control system and ADS-B network. The purpose here is to demonstrate a compatible security scheme that will mitigate threats posed by message injection and modification attacks, which are among the most critical vulnerabilities in the current ADS-B implementation. While AA-MAC does not provide data integrity, it is highly compatible with the existing 1090ES protocol and can be implemented at low cost relative to other security proposals, offering a feasible partial security solution for ADS-B. 4.1.2. Non-Cryptographic Schemes As we have seen, cryptographic security schemes are difficult to implement in a way that are not compatible with the existing infrastructure, primarily due to the problem of key distribution and management. Non-cryptographic approaches to network security avoid the challenge of key management and instead involve either some form of fingerprinting on the physical layer, or a frequency modulation scheme such as spread spectrum. A. Fingerprinting Schemes such as fingerprinting encompass various methods for authentication and identification, either based on hardware or software imperfections or characteristics of the frequency channel which are hard to replicate. Identifying signatures for legitimate nodes on the network provides data useful for the implementation of systems to detect network intrusions [22]. Software-Based Fingerprinting schemes attempt to isolate distinct characteristics of the software operating on network equipment. The development teams for different network equipment manufacturers often take widely varied paths when implementing software on a given device. These differences can be cataloged and later exploited to tell apart dissimilar network devices, and can be used to verify their continuity up to a certain degree. Hardware-Based Fingerprinting approaches seek to identify and catalog unique network hardware differences. Some of these differences can be used for radiometric fingerprinting, which takes advantage of differences in the modulation of a radio signal to catalog unique device signatures. Clock skew is another identifiable hardware feature that can be used to establish uniqueness between wireless devices. Since no two clocks are perfectly synchronized, time difference can be used to create signatures and enable identification. A third category of fingerprinting is Channel/Location-Based Fingerprinting. This fingerprinting method tries to exploit natural characteristics of the communications channel. Various approaches utilizing received signal strength (RSS), channel impulse response (CIR) and the carrier phase have shown that this can be a viable alternative to more traditional authentication and verification measures.

Paint a House :: essays research papers

A home is the biggest investment you will ever make. It only makes sense to keep the biggest investment of your life in the best shape possible. The appearance of the home is a major factor in keeping its value. Painting the exterior of the house is not as hard as it appears; in fact it’s quite simple. In order to paint the house efficiently you will need a crew kit and a few different sized ladders. A crew kit is a large plastic bin with all of the tools needed for the job and more. Brushes and rollers are the two most known. Other tools include: scrapers, caulk guns, 5-in-1 tools, rags, drop clothes, pot hooks, buckets, self-priming paint, screens, hammers, steel wire brushes, extension poles, wood putty, putty knives, spinners, goo gone bottles, ladder mittens, and a first aid kit. They are all very important to getting the job done right. Once you are familiar with the tools it’s time to prepare the house to be painted. Scraping the old chipped portions of paint is the first thing to do. Once you’re done with the scraping, caulking is the second step in preparing the house. Most of the caulking will be over old caulk that has split apart over the years. Any other gaps you see can be caulked but are usually not necessary. Now the house is ready to paint.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The best place to start is with the soffits. To reach the soffits you need to place a long ladder against the gutter and place it at a height to distance of the feet from the gutter ratio of 4:1 feet. This way the angle will not be too steep, which would cause the ladder to fall backwards, nor not steep enough, which would cause the feet to slip back and the top to come crashing straight down. Now that the ladder is set, you climb up it with your bucket in hand. Inside the bucket you will need paint, a brush, a roller, and a screen. Once the pot hook that’s attached to the bucket is hanging on the ladder, you use your brush to paint the board the gutters are touching. Then use your brush to paint the line dividing the siding from the soffit. Now use the roller to quickly finish the underside of the soffit. With a few ladder movements one side of a house will be done.

Platos Forms Essay -- essays research papers

I. Introduction Purpose I intend to show the validity of Plato's arguments about his theory of Forms. Aristotle, along with others, cross-examines Plato's proposals. Yet, I happen to see the potential of his point of view and would like to take a deeper look into his theory. The purpose of this paper is to critically analyze the theory of Plato's Forms from his perspective and that of several others, including Aristotle. Topics The topics in which I will mainly focus on will be Forms as universals, Forms as separate entities (substances), Universe as two realities, and Forms as final causes. For the most part, the topics are interwoven together yet I will try to separate them in such a fashion as to provide sufficient arguments for each main topic. II. "In View of Plato's Theory of Forms" Topic #1: Forms as Universals "The essence of [Plato's] theory of Ideas (Forms) lay in the conscious recognition of the fact that there is a class of entities, for which the best name is probably "universal," that are entirely different from sensible things" (Allen 18). Plato's theory of Forms assumed that Forms are universal and exist as substances. Aristotle firmly disagrees with the idea of Forms being universals. In Scaltsas' Substances and Universals in Aristotle's Metaphysics, he defines universals as being "the object of understanding and thought, the object of knowledge, and indeed of scientific knowledge†¦" (33). Plato's first argument for his idea that Forms are universals uses mathematics and the sciences to explain his theory. According to Plato, science is the 'body of universal and necessary truths' (Jones 125). Jones also pointed out Plato's view that since math is a science, 'there must be forms to be the objects of mathematical knowledge.' "Nothing other than eternal, unchanging forms can qualify to be the objects of scientific knowledge." (Jones 125) Plato also described mathematical objects as being universals and separate substances (Cherniss 180). In Nicholas Denyer's article titled "Plato's Theory of Stuffs" he claims that Plato's argument on Forms, as universals, is valid. He believe... ...elements. Plato's arguments did have some value though but in order for them to stand with the highest merit, they should be revised and refined. There is much relevance for Plato's theory of Forms in today's society. Forms were a way in which Plato defined reality and they can still be used in order for others to find a reality for themselves. In looking at Plato's view, as well as others, it has helped me to see more clearly my concept of reality and the final causes in which I strive for. Forms exist still today; for example, Justice, Beauty, Equality, Truth, and Goodness. Even though people may not realize it, they are searching for final causes, or Forms. "It is easy to understand why and how the Forms are the ultimate objects of human striving. Since they are unchanging and pure, the Forms provide a type of satisfaction that is unavailable from any other source. Not only are we unable to completely possess them, which fires our desire, but also they endure, unlike lesser things that ultimately fall into nonbeing" (Teloh 134).

External and Internal Conflict in Hawthornes Young Goodman Brown Essay

External and Internal Conflict in â€Å"Young Goodman Brown†Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚         Nathaniel Hawthorne’s short story â€Å"Young Goodman Brown† manifests a duality of conflict – both an external conflict and an internal conflict. It is the purpose of this essay to explore both types of conflict as manifested in the story.    In the opening lines of the tale there is a compulsion, representing internal conflict, indicated on the part of both the protagonist and his wife Faith:    "Dearest heart," whispered she, softly and rather sadly, when her lips were close to his ear, "pr'ythee, put off your journey until sunrise, and sleep in your own bed tonight. A lone woman is troubled with such dreams and such thoughts, that she's afeard of herself, sometimes. Pray, tarry with me this night, dear husband, of all nights in the year!"    "My love and my Faith," replied young Goodman Brown, "of all nights in the year, this one night must I tarry away from thee. My journey, as thou callest it, forth and back again, must needs be done 'twixt now and sunrise. What, my sweet, pretty wife, dost thou doubt me already, and we but three months married!"    And Faith, hopeful that the compulsion will not get the best of her during the night, responds:    "Then God bless you!" said Faith, with the pink ribbons, "and may you find all well, when you come back."    Q.D. Leavis says in â€Å"Hawthorne as Poet† that â€Å"It is a journey he takes under compulsion, and it should not escape us that she tries to stop him because she is under a similar compulsion to go on a ‘journey’ herself† (36). So the main male and female characters are manifesting similar compulsions toward evil against which they must struggle. And these are the main in... ...ung Goodman Brown.† And both strands come together at the baptismal ceremony at the climax of the story where Goodman resolves his conflicts favorably.    WORKS CITED    Hawthorne, Nathaniel. â€Å"Young Goodman Brown.† 1835. http://www.cwrl.utexas.edu/~daniel/amlit/goodman/goodmantext.html    Lang, H.J. â€Å"How Ambiguous is Hawthorne?† In Hawthorne – A Collection of Critical Essays, edited by A.N. Kaul. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1966.    Leavis, Q.D. â€Å"Hawthorne as Poet.† In Hawthorne – A Collection of Critical Essays, edited by A.N. Kaul. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1966.    Martin, Terence â€Å"Six Tales.† In Nathaniel Hawthorne. New York: Twayne Publishers Inc., 1965.    Wagenknecht, Edward. Nathaniel Hawthorne – The Man, His Tales and Romances. New York: Continuum Publishing Co., 1989.         

Economics case study Essay

(a) Explain whether health care is a private , merit or public care (b) Is health care a free good? Explain your answer (c) Does the quote from the doctor suggest that the market for healthcare is in equilibrium? Again explain your answer (d) Compare the effects of an improvement in the quality of product provided by the NHS and that provided by a private health care company (e) Explain 2 meanings of the word ‘efficiency’ (f) What is likely to happen to private sector firms which are not efficient? (g) In which market structure is information about best practice likely to be most freely available (h) Discuss the private and external benefits of health care. a) A public good is a good that is a benefit to society and is provided free of cost to society, usually by the government running the country. Theses goods are not provided by private companies and firms as they do not render profit, which thus leads to a market failure due to a lack of provision of public/merit goods. Examples for such goods are roads, streetlights, education, public libraries etc. NHS (National Health Service) is a public good and government organization. It is a service that is ‘free at the point of delivery’ because society pays for it indirectly through taxes. The NHS provides free healthcare to society, this is especially beneficial for the low income group sector of society thus making it a public good. The demand for this service is high, as healthcare is very expensive in the private sector. As the law of demand states that when the prices increase demand decreases. Here there is no actual price for the service thus the demand must be high. But sometimes this high demand creates a problem as the supply cannot be met; public goods are goods that do not render profits. And thus these organizations are run by government spending and may not really be updated with the best quality as they have a limit in their budgets. They do not have the quality of being efficient as they do not make profits from their services. b) A free good is good that is not scarce, has a zero market price and do not have any opportunity costs when consumed. The key word is opportunity cost. (***Free good is a term used in economics to describe a good that is not scarce. A free good is available in as great a quantity as desired with zero opportunity cost to society.) Opportunity cost is the cost of forgoing one opportunity for another. For example – A school has been given 10,000$ and it can either spend it on books and supplies or on a new gym. Thus the opportunity cost to build the gym would be the loss of not buying books and vice versa. An example for free good can be sunlight, air, salt water etc. Considering healthcare, it can be noted that healthcare does not fall into the category of free good. It is an economic good even a public organization like the NHS. As NHS is a government funded subject, it is actually just a free service at the point of delivery. The taxpayers pay for this good; therefore it does have a market value indirectly through taxes. And it is not a resource that is available all the time, thus making it limited and not scarce. As it is government funded, the government can choose to spend their money on something else instead of healthcare. Therefore there is an opportunity cost to providing healthcare. The government can may spend the same amount on public structures (roads, streetlights, traffic lights or on education etc). As provision of healthcare has an opportunity cost, it makes it an economic good and not a free good. (*** Economic good is a good that has an opportunity cost thus giving it a price and hence making it scarce.) c) The market for healthcare (pubic healthcare) is not in equilibrium as the doctor quotes†we just get more patients and we can’t cope with anymore†. Therefore suggesting that the supply cannot meet the demand and thus the market equilibrium is not met. Market equilibrium is when the market is in a stage where the demand meets the supply. For eg – In the figure below, we see that at price P1 the quantity Q1 is both demanded and supplied. Thus the market in equilibrium at the price P1 since the quantity of goods that people wish to buy at price Q1 is equal to quantity of the goods the supplier wants to sell at that price. This price P1 is also called as market clearing price, as everything produced is sold. The market thus remains in equilibrium. The healthcare sector (NHS) does not follow this structure of market equilibrium. The figure below shows the demand for healthcare in the private and public healthcare. This follows the demand laws that when prices increase then the demand for the good decreases as can be in seen in the demand for private healthcare services. Whereas the demand for public healthcare is very high as the price is very low or minimal. (Figure 1) Figure 2 – When the prices are low then the suppliers supply less of their goods. In the case of healthcare (public healthcare), the providers of this services may not be provide less of their services but the quality and efficiency may be less and improvements may not be made as they are Government organizations and do not have the funds to do so. Figure 3 shows that because of the low prices the demand for the service increases to Q2 and the healthcare providers can only provide services till Q*. More is being demanded than supplied, and thus there is a shortage as there is an excess of demand. Therefore the market equilibrium is altered as the supply does not meet the demand. d) Improvements in the quality provided by the NHS and the private healthcare company. The private sector’s main motive is to earn profit. Any private company or firm’s main goal is to earn profit. This can be done by having a large consumer base, thus to get achieve a large consumer base the firms continuously improve their services and are always striving for efficiency. Therefore an improvement in the private healthcare sector would not make a big difference as these firms are already always trying to provide better services to the consumers in order to make profits. Even though the prices are higher than the public sector people would with money would chose to a private clinic rather than a government healthcare facility, as it would be wiser for them to make use of the better healthcare facilities. If there are improvements in the public sector, the efficiency of the sector is improved and a lot more people would prefer going to public healthcare facilities rather than spending more money for the same service at a private clinic. The demand for the private healthcare services would decrease, and the firms would have to come up with innovative methods to restore their consumer base as a majority of the consumers would prefer paying less for healthcare for the same services provided by the private sector. The private healthcares may even have to shut down due to increasing costs in running their facilities and fewer buyers for their services thus decreasing the revenue they earn. There would be a producer loss for the private sector and a consumer gain for the consumers as they pay for good quality healthcare at a cheaper rate. But this would mean more government spending on healthcare to ensure that the new improvements continue. Or the government may increase the taxes, and thus the tax payers would have to pay more taxes in order for better public healthcare. e) Efficiency – getting any given results with smallest inputs or getting maximum output from minimum inputs Efficiency can be classified into 2 categories – * Efficiency in consumption ( Allocative efficiency ) * Efficiency in production ( Productive efficiency ) Allocating resources among consumers so that it would not be possible by any re allocation to make people better off without making anyone worse off is called efficiency in consumption. Allocative efficiency in simple terms can be put as â€Å"doing the right thing†. Defining Allocative efficiency – when there is no waste in resources in the production of goods, allocative efficiency is maximized. This occurs when there is 0 excess demand and supply in the market (S=D). For eg – when a firm produces 5000 flower pots but the market enables the firm to sell only 3500 then the resources have gone waste by producing the excess 1500 goods and there is an inefficiency in the allocation of resources as they could have been better allocated. The firm could have used the same amount of resources for something like fertilizers which would have had a higher demand. Therefore the allocative optimality occurs when the supply equals demand on the market. Allocating available resources between industries so that it will not be possible to produce more of some goods without producing less of others is called efficiency in production. Productive efficiency occurs when goods are produced at the lowest possible cost per unit, taking into account all costs arising. A firm is productively efficient when total use of resources (factors) result in the lowest possible cost per unit of output. This would be the point where average total is minimized. Productive efficiency means â€Å"doing things right†. In the healthcare sector being economically efficient as well as productively efficient is what the private clinics, hospitals etc aim for. To supply the maximum output at the cost of minimum inputs. f) Private firms that are inefficient would not be able to compete with other firms in a competitive market. If a firm is inefficient, the demand for the firm’s services and goods decrease and the firm’s consumer base will move on to another firm that does provide efficient goods and services. Or if a firm is allocatively inefficient then its resources go waste and it is unable to make the same revenue like it would have if it had used proper allocation of resources. Lack of productive efficiency would lead to the cost of production to be higher therefore the firm would suffer losses. Taking the 3 different situations in private healthcare – * Inefficient services and quality provided: would lead to the loss of customers and eventually revenue, and more competition from other firms. * Improper allocation of resources(spending): spending and wasting money on frivolous items such as curtains and dà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½cor rather than medicines and treatment facilities , the firm would have a decrease in revenue again as people would expect top quality services rather than fancy dà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½cor. * Costs of production and services > revenue earned = loss: the firm has spent a lot more on setting up the place and is not gaining maximum profits in return thus being productively inefficient. g) In a private structure information about best practice is likely to be freely available, as in public sectors there is not much incentive to improve techniques and skills. Whereas in the private sector the commercial organizations have an economic incentive to introduce better practices for both market leadership which leads to profits. Eg – 2 dentist clinics each one comes up with newer faster and high quality technology for braces such as clinic1 comes up with ‘invisible braces’ and clinic 2 to outdo clinic 1 comes up with ‘invisible painless clear fit on braces’ to form a larger consumer market. Whereas in public sector there would be no such highlight as there is no one to compete against and no economic incentive. h) Merit goods are goods that are beneficial to the society and include services like healthcare defense etc. The marginal social benefits in providing healthcare are greater than the marginal production costs. For this reason healthcare is normally left up to the government to provide in many countries as private sector owners find no profit making scheme through it. The private and external benefits of healthcare are many. * Society remains healthy * When society remains healthy then the major workforce remains fit as well * Provision of healthcare = public good, like the NHS makes it easily accessible to the low income society. * If the main workforce of a country has access to healthcare, the overall development of a country increases. * The government also encourages the use /consumption of this service, as it is beneficial for all. * The healthcare services provided, if of good quality, makes sure that everyone in society gets their vaccines, health checkups etc. Thus ensuring that everyone is stable and in a well fit environment. * These services are more beneficial for the lower middle and poorer section of society. The poor do not need to spend much of their little incomes and are assured of the basic services.

Interpersonal deception theory Essay

The interpersonal deception theory’s presence throughout Martin Scorsese’s film, The Departed, is made abundantly clear through the interactions between the characters. Two of the main characters, Agent Sullivan and William, both lie in order to do their jobs, and to just survive. These characters exhibit the three dominant deception theories – falsification, concealment, and equivocation, as well as utilizing eye contact, either purposely or not. The interpersonal deception theory attempts to explain the manner in which two people who are engaged in face-to-face communication deal with deception. It is possible to detect deception from verbal and nonverbal cues. There are three dominant deception theories – falsification, concealment, and equivocation. Falsification is when one individual, the â€Å"sender†, blatantly lies to another individual, the â€Å"receiver. † Concealment is when the sender omits certain facts; this results in deception. Equivocation is when the sender skirts the issues by changing the subject (Hearn 2006). In Martin Scorsese’s film The Departed, William, the undercover officer working with Frank Costello, and Agent Sullivan, the detective who is helping Frank Costello, both exhibit dominant deception theories. Both lie throughout the entire film; William is a good guy pretending to be bad, while Agent Sullivan is a bad guy pretending to be good. Both are fairly good at lying, however, there are small, somewhat tell-tale signs that they are being deceptive. Agent Sullivan is a detective with the Massachusetts State Police. When he was a boy, a local criminal, Frank Costello, helped him out, and the two had been friends ever since. When Sullivan became a detective on a case where the police were trying to capture Costello, Sullivan did everything he could to help Costello. Because of his two-faced nature, he had to lie to his girlfriend, Madolyn, and the men he worked with, including his boss. Agent Sullivan worked his deception on those around him in two obvious ways – concealment and equivocation. The first example is of equivocation. About half way through the film, Sullivan got a phone call from Costello, and Madolyn answered the phone. When Sullivan got off the phone, Madolyn asked him who had called him. Sullivan told her that it was his boss. She knew he was lying to her, so he skirted the issue by saying that there are things about his job that he could not tell her, things that she did not even want to know. He even tried to make a joke about her questions interfering with an ongoing investigation. He successfully got her mind off of the actual issue at hand, the issue of the mysterious caller. The example of concealment is demonstrated throughout the film in regards to Agent Sullivan. Sullivan spends the entire film trying not to be found out as the man Costello has in the police department. When things start to really unravel, Sullivan is assigned to find the leak in the department, and he actually takes on the task. From here on out, Sullivan works hard to continue to conceal his true identity. William was working for the Massachusetts State Police as an undercover cop. He did not successfully complete the training at the Police Academy, but he wanted to be a cop. No one knew he was working for the police department except for two high-ranking officers. William became a trusted friend of Frank Costello while investigating him. This gave William the edge he needed to capture Costello, but deceiving Costello could have proved to be deadly. William worked his deception on Costello in two ways – falsification and concealment. In a scene where Costello wanted to talk to William about a â€Å"rat† in the operation, William flat-out lied to him, telling Costello that he was not the rat. William knew that Costello suspected him of being the rat, but William kept denying it. Costello began to believe him. William successfully lied his way out of a potentially deadly situation. William also used the trick of concealment to his advantage. He, first and foremost, concealed his identity, not only from Costello and his gang, but also from other officers in the police department. No one in the police department knew that he was working undercover. Because he did not graduate from the Police Academy, William was not a real police officer. Because of this, he went virtually undetected. William’s concealment of his true identity was successful, until Costello wanted his real name, social security number, and bank account numbers. It was then that William knew he had to find a way out. From here on out, things began to fall apart. Both Agent Sullivan’s and William’s deception could have been detected. Most individuals believe that they can tell when a person is lying to them. They can detect deception by listening and watching the sender. Signs such as eye contact/rapid eye movement, body rigidity, and fidgeting can be tell-tale signs of when an individual is trying to deceive another individual. Eye contact is held as the number one indicator of truth or deception. Most believe that if an individual holds strong eye contact, then that person is being truthful. On the other hand, if one’s eyes move rapidly, or one cannot look another in the eye while talking to them, it is an indication of deception. Law enforcement interviewers and interrogators believe that when a person is not being truthful, they will break eye contact and either look to the right or to the left. This belief, however, is not substantiated (Walters 2000). Although proven an unreliable means of detecting deception, this does not stop Scorsese from implementing this strategy when it comes to Agent Sullivan’s behavior. Agent Sullivan’s behavior, if paid attention to, would have alerted anyone to his deception. For example, Sullivan never made complete eye contact while lying. He does make good eye contact when he says that Costello has a man in the police department, because that information is true. However, when he says that he is working on finding out who it is, he looks briefly at the floor. Sullivan breaks eye contact, an indication that he is lying. In actuality, Sullivan himself is the man Costello has in the police department, so Sullivan has no intention of finding out who the rat is. Another example of Agent Sullivan’s odd behavior is at the sting. Sullivan calls Costello to inform him that he is being watched by the police. Later, Sullivan finds out that the FBI is present and is monitoring cellular phone activity. Sullivan begins to sneak nervous glances around the room, looking to see if anyone has detected his involvement with Costello. In the scene where William meets Costello for a discussion on who the â€Å"rat† is, William makes deliberate, strong eye contact. Unlike Agent Sullivan, when William lies to Costello, William looks him straight in the eye and does not waiver. William is nervous about meeting with Costello, but he carries himself as though he is in control of the situation. Although William was nervous, he does not back down from Costello. This forces Costello to back down and to take William’s word that he is not the rat at face value. It is generally believed that when someone breaks eye contact with the person they are talking to, they could be lying. However, when someone makes deliberate eye contact, that could mean that they are trying to conceal the fact that they are indeed lying. Deliberate eye contact also means that the person maintaining strong eye contact is trying to maintain dominance or control over the person he is speaking with. This is done is such a way that the receiver would not even think about questioning the accuracy of the sender’s words (Walters 2000). This is how William wins over Costello. The term â€Å"leakage† is used to refer to any behavior outside of a deceiver’s conscious controls that could signal dishonesty. These signals could include the formerly mentioned body rigidity and fidgeting (Schneider 2007). For example, when Agent Sullivan is at the sting, after he found out that the FBI were monitoring cellular phone activity, he sits very still, only moving his head to glance around the room. His body seems to become very rigid, perched uncomfortably on a table. He also seems to be fidgeting inside his coat pocket. In actuality, however, he is sending a text message to Costello that says, â€Å"no phones. † Sullivan could have â€Å"leaked† his involvement with Costello if someone had been paying attention. The characters of Agent Sullivan and William exhibit falsification, concealment, and equivocation. The use of eye contact, both deliberate and not, make the characters more human. All of the signs of dishonesty that these two characters exhibited made the viewer believe that those characters were real. Both characters’ deceptions could have been seen through, like most people’s deceptions, but they were not detected. They carried their burdens well, working their hardest to not only do their jobs, but to survive.

Marriage vs Civil Unions Essay

Gay marriage is a controversial and often heated topic in American society and often so elsewhere throughout the world. Homosexual behavior is not new. Homosexual behavior and the homosexual lifestyle have been around throughout recorded history, certainly for thousands of years, in fact, was socially condoned in some societies. In Ancient armies, it was often accepted because a man was more apt to fight for a lover than for a casual acquaintance. For example, unlike today’s military, in Ancient Greece, homosexual relationships between soldiers were viewed as a means to intensify the fighting spirit of the soldiers and strengthen the bond between them. (Burg et al. , 2002) Only recently did interest in issues of sexual orientation move from the realm of the social sciences into other areas of science. Freud believed that there was some degree of bisexuality in all humans (Bell and Weinberg, 1978). He and other psychologists of his time believed that homosexuality could be explained by the experiences a person had while growing up, thus focusing on environmental explanations for homosexual behavior. Psychologists once pursued the study of homosexuality in an effort to prove that it was an abnormal behavior, but such studies have now led researchers to conclude that homosexuality is somehow linked to the individual experiences and environment a person has while growing up. While this may be the general view of homosexuality in psychology, my experiences with homosexuals are not consistent with this view. The few individuals I’ve known who were homosexual coexisted in the same environment as everyone around them, but their homosexual tendencies were obvious throughout their lives. Today we realize that if environment plays a role in homosexual tendencies, environment is not the entire explanation. Now we know that genetics and biology also play a role. No matter what biological and genetic studies show, there can be little doubt that opponents of gay marriage and the gay lifestyle will only accept that the gay marriage is some kind of sickness or perverted behavior. While homosexual behavior is obviously out of the norm, there is no scientific research or evidence to suggest that is it either perverted or abnormal. Despite what opponents might claim, our view of homosexuals and our denying them the right to marry is no more than a form of discrimination—irrational, illegal, biased and illogical. Regardless as to how a person views same sex marriage, there is no rational or logical reason to ban it or to discriminate against it except for personal preference/choice. Genetic Studies, Biology and Environment It is important to consider the biology and genetics behind homosexual behavior. If people insist that homosexual behavior is a matter of personal choice when evidence exists to demonstrate genetic and biological factors are involved, their insistence shows and irrational bias against homosexuals based on prejudice and discrimination. Today, most researchers view that a person’s sexual orientation is dictated by a combination of environmental, biological and psychological factors. Recent studies suggest that both biology and genetics play a role in homosexual behavior. Studies suggest that a genetic factor passed from mother to son might contribute to homosexuality in men and that male homosexuality might have a very different genetic influence from female homosexuality. (Pattatucci et al, 1995, Bailey et al. , 2000) Studies of homosexuality in families and between twins suggest that male and female sexual orientation may not have the same genetic influences. (Bailey et al. , 2000) Animal studies reveal that sexual orientation can be influenced by altering the hypothalamus. (Cherry & Baum, 1990), Much of the available genetic data on homosexual behavior suggests that biological and genetic factors are involved. Some studies have focused on X chromosome since males have an XY chromosome and females have an XX chromosome. One study concluded that the gene that influences homosexual behavior is carried by the mother. Heterosexual females appear to pass the Xq28 gene sequence on the X chromosome to their sons. (see below, Hamer et al, 1993) This study focused on homosexual males, and thus, their findings may not be a reflection on homosexual females. When the results of genetics studies are taken together, the most reasonable conclusion is that genetics can account for at least 50 percent of a person’s sexual orientation. In general, genetic studies of homosexuality demonstrate that homosexual behavior and the homosexual condition is a result of genes. When male homosexuals were studied, the data of one study demonstrated that most of the homosexual men arose from a genetic factor that was passed down from mother to son. (Hamer et al, 1993) Dean Hamer of the National Cancer Institute in Washington, D. C. discovered that homosexual brothers are more than heterosexual brothers to inherit the same genetic sequence, referred to as Xq28, on a region of the X chromosome. This suggests that genetics are involved in homosexual behavior although only a region on a gene, not a specific gene, has been identified. The degree of gene influence is unclear. Studies of twins and also of the adoptive brothers of homosexual men reveal a relationship between genetics and homosexual behavior. (Bailey and Pillard, 1991) Thus, the evidence suggests that genetics and biology rather than environment or personal choice gives rise to homosexual behavior and the homosexual condition. Other studies have demonstrated anatomical differences between components of the brain structures of heterosexual and homosexual males. (LeVay, 1991) These are important considerations when we begin to look at the legal questions surrounding homosexual behavior. Thus, discriminating against gay individuals is just as irrational, irresponsible and illegal (or should be just as illegal) as discriminating against an individual on the basis of the color of his or her skin. Furthermore, it should be easier to decide the legality of mistreating people on the basis of the sexual preference than on the basis of their religious preference since religious preference is a matter of personal choice rather than genes. Why, then, is it illegal to discriminate against an individual on the basis of their religion while the legal issues surrounding homosexual behavior are often viewed as unclear? While there may be compelling reasons to favor heterosexual unions over gay marriages, there is actually no unbiased reason to forbid gay marriages. In fact, even favoring heterosexual marriages is a form of discrimination similar to favoring whites over other races. Certainly, the heterosexual situation constitutes the â€Å"normal† or â€Å"typical† interaction between sexes, but considering that biological and genetic studies demonstrate that homosexual situations are dictated by actual biological and genetic factors, there is no rational reason to view such unions as â€Å"unnatural† or â€Å"abnormal†. We cannot even say with certainty that they are an abnormality as much as a biologically dictated variation, not necessarily even rare, just different. While we can â€Å"prefer† heterosexual marriage over gay marriage as a society, there is no rational reason to deny gay marriage or to restrict homosexual individuals to civil unions while denying them a typical marriage (as will be discussed) other than bias. Although theories exist to suggest that environment contributes to and influences the gay lifestyle, it is not clear how this could be true. For example, if biology and genetics contribute to â€Å"at least 50 percent† of gay behavior, why is it that a homosexual male or female raised in the same environment with a heterosexual male or female gives rise to one homosexual individual and one or more (generally a host) of heterosexual individuals? If the environment helped to cause the homosexual behavior, why aren’t there more homosexuals in that environment? To my knowledge, this question has never been addressed or even asked. Likewise with Freud’s idea that childhood experiences contribute to homosexual behavior. While no two individuals have the same childhood experiences, in part because everyone responds differently to the same experiences and environment, two individuals treated the same and raised in the same environment does not lead one to conclude that the differences in their behavior is caused by their childhood experiences or their environment. Biological factors, genetics and internal psychological factors must play a significantly more crucial role in their behavior than do environment and/or childhood experiences. Marriage vs. Civil Union Now that we have briefly reviewed the biological and genetic data to suggest that homosexuality is a genetic and biological condition, at least in part, rather than a matter of personal choice, we are more prepared to consider the legal factors involved with this issue. In states where marriage is allowed between same sex couples, the individuals involved are generally placed on an uneven playing field. Even though they may be allowed to join in a legal union, they are restricted to a civil union rather than a legally recognized marriage. What is the difference and why is this distinction yet another example of social discrimination? Today, gay couples may unite in civil unions but such unions differ from the marriage granted to heterosexuals in a number of crucial ways. Although a civil union grants many rights that would be denied without it, it fails to grant hundreds of others. Furthermore, marriage is universally recognized everywhere while civil unions are not. Civil unions fail to resolve many financial matters, tax issues, insurance concerns, pension protection, Medicaid and even matters such as filing and filling our forms. Another concern arises if those joined in a civil union desire to dissolve their union. They have no means to legally terminate their union unless they live in a state that recognizes it. In fact, at present, only Vermont qualifies for this termination. A Vermont law states that â€Å"Parties to a civil union shall have all the same benefits, protections and responsibilities under law, whether they derive from statute, administrative or court rule, policy, common law or any other source of civil law, as are granted to spouses in a marriage. † One must wonder why there is a need to make such a statement. If there is no discrimination based on sexual orientation, there certainly is no need for this added point of clarification in the law, so obviously, something is amiss. Much of the controversy about and distinction between â€Å"marriage† and â€Å"civil union† boils down to religious issues. In general, Christians are against gay marriage. Therefore, at some level, the issue also involves religious issues and the separation between church and state, religion and politics. While gay marriage is an issue that Christians feel goes against the principles of the Bible, other religions use other holy books and, as a result, do not base their opinions on or form their ideas from the Bible. Although the legal view is that there are no substantial differences in the treatment of a marriage and a civil union, each represents a separate legal category with significant, sometimes glaring differences that only become of concern when they matter the most. While the U. S. Constitution requires legal equality for all regardless of sexual orientation, among other factors, that legal equality exists largely on paper rather than in fact. Clearly, those individuals forced into civil unions rather than typical marriages are not on even playing ground. Civil Unions are a step forward, but they fall short of being satisfactory. Our present approach to force gay couples into civil unions rather than true marriage, perhaps, is as unjust as the former laws that denied interracial marriage. In order to give gay couples true rights, laws must eliminate the idea of civil unions and allow gay couples to form true marriage so as to give them all of the rights and privileges recognized in marriage. We cannot continue to tolerate â€Å"civil unions† as the satisfactory answer to granting unions between individuals who desire to live as a couple. Just as we moved away from banning interracial marriage, we need to move away from banning gay marriage. We have only emotional and no rational reasons to do otherwise. We have pointed out above that if the biological factors, genetics and internal psychological factors play any role at all in homosexual behavior, that role must be relatively trivial. Therefore, discriminating against gay individuals in any manner such as by relegating them to civil unions rather than allowing them to unite in true marriage, for example, is nothing more than unjustified discrimination and bias just as unjust as denying interracial marriage. We must move away from this and other unfair treatments and practices. Continuing to insist that homosexual behavior arises from environment, childhood experiences or personal choice with that belief but no supporting evidence even though there is clear evidence to the contrary is nothing more than further bias and discrimination against homosexuals. While homosexual behavior is clearly different from the norm, there is no real evidence that it is abnormal any more than being black in a society that is 12 percent black and 88 percent white and other means that blacks are abnormal. Faulty logic in the absence of supporting evidence does not justify, prove or support an incorrect conclusion.