Discuss the causes and effects of three factors of climate change Essay

Discuss the causes and effects of three factors of climate change - Essay Example Change in the climate of a given region, is because of natural and human induced factors on the environment. This paper discusses three factors that cause change in the climatic conditions of an area. These three factors include oceanic circulations, global warming and volcanic radiations. Volcanic activity is a natural factor that causes climatic change. When volcanic eruptions occur, they inject quite a large amount of duct and other gaseous elements into the stratosphere. One of the gaseous elements that reach the stratosphere is sulphur dioxide (Letcher 81). On reaching the stratosphere level, sulphur dioxide converts rapidly to form sulphuric acid aerosols. The aerosols formed continue to spread gradually covering the whole world at the stratosphere. The effects of volcanic eruptions at the stratosphere, do not wear out as fast as the effects at the lower level (Letcher 81). This is because at the lower level, the effects of gravity and rainfall, contribute to the recovery of th e volcanic effects at that level. The covering at the upper level, which constitutes sulphuric acid aerosols, reduces the direct solar beam to the earth surface. The reduction is because of the high reflective property of sulphuric acid aerosols (Letcher 81). ... The effects of volcanic activity on climate are in a long time scale, such as millions of years. Over millions of years, continuous volcanic activity, releases huge volumes of greenhouse gases, which causes global warming. On the other hand, sulphur dioxide emissions will counter the effects of global warming. Therefore, the result of the process on the climate remains uncertain, leaving other external factors, such as the nature of the volcano, to determine the change (Letcher 84). Ocean circulation is another significant factor that results to a change in the climatic conditions. This is because oceans too, play a role in the global climate system. Oceans store a large amount of heat energy. Ocean circulation is a force that causes a change in the global heat balance on Earth (Samelson 29). Major theories in ocean circulation, depict the changes in the North Atlantic Deep Water (NADW) production and thermohaline circulation, to be cause of climatic change. However, scientists have focused more on the climatic transitions that occurs between the interglacial and glacial occurrences (Samelson 29). The Gulf Stream carries heat polewards, to warm the north maritime Europe. The North Atlantic contains cold polar air (Samelson 30). On meeting the cold polar air, the warm water, releases heat to the atmosphere. The cooling water sinks with the help of the increased salinity in the region. Increase in salinity is a result of the presence of sea ice, which is present in the Arctic regions (Samelson 30). The cooling water will thus sink because of an increase in density, forming the North Atlantic Deep Water. The NADW flows through to the Pacific Ocean via western Atlantic, all the way around Australia and

Dueling and Honor in the Old South Essay Example for Free

Dueling and Honor in the Old South Essay The practice of dueling in the Old South was inseparably bound to the notion of honor, in all its manifestations, that in large part defined the Southern self-image. Though dueling was a very male activity, its influence as far as defining a man’s character, courage and viability as a gentlemen was also a powerful one with women. The practice was anathema to Northern notions of honor and accomplishment but for the Southern men who dueled the practice was inseparable from their identity as gentlemen, members of an elite and noble caste. A CULTURE OF HONOR It is impossible to understand the importance of the ritual of dueling in the Old South without understanding the traditions of honor as they were celebrated by the men and women of the elite classes of the antebellum period. Honor, or the offence of one’s honor, was the motivation behind the carnage that the practice of dueling left in its wake. Honor, and the importance placed upon it by the Southern aristocracy, flowed from the ideals of hierarchy and entitlement. It was inseparable from the need to defend one’s family, reputation and one’s community (Wyatt-Brown, p. 4). The sanctions for violating honor were not trivial, given that one’s personal honor could be connected to the honor of one’s family and one’s community as a whole. To be truly honorable in the South required adherence to a particular paradigm: Honor was obviously a very personal matter but it was also a very real public matter that merited enforcement by elite the community. In the South, the community, and one’s reputation within it, were as important as and a vital part of one’s self-image. Everyone had to subordinate personal autonomy to the collective will. It was the test of leaders to carry out the comminity’s desires, to uphold its sacredness; otherwise they would find that they themselves were the sacrifices offered up to the sanctified ideals. (Wyatt-Brown, p. 12) Elitism was intrinsic to the idea of Southern honor. The North had largely abandoned the idea that honor, distinction and priveledge where things that were earned through family lines or wealth. The South, however, maintained the ideals of aristocracy long into the 19th Century (Wyatt-Brown, p. 19). Where the North idealized that all were equal before the law, the South still held on to notions of there being different standards for different classes of people. For the Southerner of the elite classes, the Nothern view would represent an affront to their notions of entitlement. The Southern aristocrat was assumed to be a man, or woman, of honor simply because of their station in life. In the North, the situation was quite different. Northern ideals of equality of all men before the law, though imperfect in practice as always, undermnined the privileges of the wealthy and wellborn. To get ahead required skill at intellectual tasks, not just expertise at manipulating others—or at least so the ideal became (Wyatt-Brown, p. 20). While honor in the North was quite often defined by temperance, intellectual achievement and rising above vice (Wyatt-Brown, p. 21), Sothern honor was inseperably attached to notions of masculinity and an important part of being masculine was the willingness to use violence and face death to settle disputes. The Sothern idea of honor is incoherent without understanding its opposite, shame. In the South, public chastizement was still embraced as a good and right way to deal with those who had violated community standards, the culture of honor or had shown themselves to be, perhaps, unworthy of the station to which they had been born (Wyatt-Brown, p. 19). In the North, the pentitentiary system, an essentially private affair, and the idea that a deviant was accoutnable before the law instead of being accoutnable to the wrath of the community in such a public sense, represented a remarkable difference. A crime in the North was a crime against the written letter of the law. A crime in the South, however, could be cast as a violation of an archaic, elitst set of values and accountability was not tied to the private punishment of prison, but to public shame. In fact, Southern honor was such a powderkeg that one who was not familiar with local customs regarding what constituted an insult literally took their life in their hands when travelling to one part of the South from another or to the South from another region (Williams, p. 23). If one were planning to exhibit a bit of wit at the expense of another, the only way to safely do so was to be certain that one knew the recipient of the jest well enough that the subject mater would not be one that addressed too sensitive an issue or challenged too harshly the gentleman’s honor (Williams, p. 24). Another form of public shame was public goading. Challenges to duels were frequently printing in newspapers or hung up in public places—called â€Å"posting† someone— and, of course, many were given verbally in public settings. Both often consisted of rather eloquent insults directed toward the desired opponent. (Williams, p. 23). Given the contraints of such an exacting culture of honor, it’s easy enough to understand how this would leave a man unable to let go such a public humiliation without seeiming to confirm the allegations of the challenger. Another way to issue a challenge to duel with almost certain success was to call another man a liar (Greenberg, p. 32). For the Southern man, being â€Å"given the lie†, which meant to be called out for lying or to simply be accused of being a liar, was one of the highest forms of insult. Greenburg notes that determining whether or not Southern men were on the whole more or less honest than their contemporaries is essentially impossible but that is not the issue. What was important was that one’s honesty was called into question and that, as much or more than anything else, was cause for deadly retribution. Cherchez la femme Southern women were as bound to the culture of honor as were men. In fact, a great deal of a man’s personal and family honor was vested in the women of his family. An insult toward a wife, daughter, cousin or mother represented a slight against all that the man held dear, especially his notion of personal and public honor. Possibly the worst insult that could be leveld against a woman was one implying promiscuity. To say as much of anyone’s wife or daughter almost guaranteed that violence would follow quickly. This flowed from the notions of nobility carried on through a family line. A woman’s promiscuity implied the dishonor of the man, unable to protect his home of which his woman was part. Women also presented a threat in that they could present the man with an illigitimate child. This would cast doubt upon the legitimacy of the entire line. (Wyatt-Brown, p. 54) Of course, in a region where the legitimacy of one’s family claim to aristocracy was essentially one of birthright, and insult such as this implied that the gentleman himself may be unworthy of the privelidges afforded the upper classes. Quite a strong implication: not only was the man, in this case, having his honor challenged but he was also was having his right to even call himself worthy of the title of an honorable man challenged. An insult such as this could not go unanswered. Wyatt-Brown traces this tradition all the way back to the ancestral lands of many white Sotherners. â€Å"Fierce retaliation was therefore mandatory when a daughter, wife, or mother had been dishonored. So it had been in ancient German and Celtic tribes, and so it continued to be in antibelum society (Wyatt-Brown, p. 53). † To modern minds, this brings up an obvious conflict between the typical freedom to be promiscuous granted to males and its not being granted to females. One must keep in mind that the world of the Old South was, in reality, a collection of many worlds. The worlds of the elite and the common, the free and slave and the man and woman. †¦ to the traditional mind there was no â€Å"double standard† of morality. The sexes differed. They lived separate lives—one in the world, the other in the home, one in exterior cicumstances, the other in the inner sactuary that required vigilant safeguarding. (Wyatt-Brown, p. 54) This does not mean that women were simply the targets of insults over which duels ensued where men defended their honor or that they were not a part of the honor culture that lead to the ritualized violence. Quite to the contrary, women were often the causes, and sometimes the instigators, of duels. The view that a woman might not care for a man unwilling to duel when challenged had implied support, at least, from the wife of a Clinton, Mississippi man who told him on the eve of a duel that she would ‘rather be the widow of a brave man than the wife of a coward† (Williams, p. 19). This culture of manliness being validated by way of violence was characteristic of Southern honor and seems to have crossed gender-lines without difficulty. In order for the sort of ritualized killing embodied by dueling to continue, there needed to be a sort of conformity that existed above and beyond independent thought. â€Å"Dueling depended strongly on those who gave faithful and somteis mindless adherence to the trappings of social elitism, who paid open homage to controlleed violence as being synonymous wwith both maleness and personal honor (Williams, p. 39)†. As we can see from the examples above, it was not only men who adhered to these notions of what defined them as masculine. Race and Class White Southerners saw themselves as aristocrats and, like all good aristocrats, one’s position could partially be measured by the amount of land over which one held power. Landownership was important for a great deal more than economic advance. In the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries landownership provided the necessary key to respected social position and to participation in political life (Cooper Cooper, p. 6) This, of course, is anathema to the Northern ideal—if not always the practice—that all members of a society are entitled to an equal voice in politics. It is also indicative of the way in which Southern society was divided along class lines. However deep these divisions between rich and poor may have been, however, there were nowhere near as deep as the divisions between black and white which, in the old South, amounted to a division between human beings and those treated as if they were something less. Southern blacks were excluded from most of the benefits of personhood which, obviously, excluded them from the culture of honor which dominated the South. In fact, blacks weren’t even able to make a legally-binding statement. Those outside the commuiyt ranks, most especially blacks in the American South, were inelegible for oath-taking. For that reason, among others, slaves and free blacks could not serve as witnesses in trials of whites (Wyatt-Brown, p. 57). Oath-taking, denoting an unwritten, unbreakable code of ethics among men of honor, was an obsession in the South. Taking on debts, particuarly, was an instance where an oath substituted for the stronger bonds of family among Southern whites (Wyatt-Brown, p. 55). This exclusionary idea of whom could give an oath, only a man whose honor was beyond reproach, and who could not, those classes and peoples who honor was suspect because of social rank or racial background, kept the white aristocracy on a pedestal forever above those they considered their lessers. It also presented an obvious route to a duel, should conflicts over loyalty to an oath ever present. To defy an oath was, essentially, to lie and to accuse one of breaking an oath was to call them a liar. In its exclusionary nature, the cutulre of honor had obvious connections to the perpetuation of the institution of slavery. Slaves were deprived by masters of all the elements necessary for the formal duels of gentlemen of honor. They could not exchange notes because law and custom forbid their literacy. After all, a slave who could write a challenge could also write a pass allowing him his freedom—or could read the abolitionist press. (Greenberg, p. 34) Likewise, a slave would certainly not be give the knife, sword or pistol of the duelist! A weapon of avenging one’s honor could easily be turned upon one’s master. While a gentleman was encouraged to risk his life in the defense of his honor, the institution of slavery was largely dependent upon the fear of life and limb on the part of the slaves. The last thing a slave owner wanted to encourage in his slaves was a willingness to risk their lives, lest they decide to risk those lives in an attempt to escape (Greenberg, p. 34). Of course, if a slave were encouraged to have a personal sense of honor, it is only obvious where he might find the first offender of that honor and against whom he may well have chose to avenge himself. Likewise, because a slave was absolutely subject to the will of his master and unable to form any legal contracts on his own (Oakes, p. 4), he was, by default unable to enter into the legal and honorbound world. How could someone less than a man deliver an insult to a man? How could one impugn the honesty of another man if his honesty, by virute of his race, was always assumed to be non-existent? OPPOSITION TO DUELING The impact of dueling was so great on Southern life that officials in some states still have to swear an oath regarding their opposition to and non-involvement in the old practice. Dueling in Kentucky dueling remains a serious matter. In Section 228 of the state’s constitution there remains a link with Kentucky’s violent past. That link is the famous â€Å"dueling clause. † Since 1891, the commonwealth’s officials have had to swear or affirm that â€Å"since the adoption of the present Constitution, I being a citizen of the state, have not fought a duel with deadly weapons within the State or nor out of it, nor have I sent or accepted a challenge to fight a duel with deadly weapons, nor have I acted as a Second in carrying a challenge nor aided or assisted any person thus offending, so help me God. (Kentucky, 2005) Given the strict culture of honor in the South and the very real damage that could be done to a man’s economic and social status by turning down a challenge, legislators found themselves with a complex legal problem: How does one pass a law that protects a man’s honor and allows him to turn down a challenge to duel? For those men who already were serving as government officials, it was easy enough to make laws such as the Kentucky law quoted above to deal with the problem. The problem was that the people who engaged in duels thought of themselves as members of an elite; and if a gentleman said, I cant duel because Ill go to jail, his challenger would accuse him of being a coward. So the states in the early 19th century tried an indirect approach: They passed a series of laws that attempted to break the connection between dueling and honor by prohibiting people who dueled from holding public office (Rosen, 2002). A curious example of dueling, once a symbol of the status of those who had access to power now becoming a barrier to the legal, governmental power structure that would come to replace the old aristocracy of the South. Ostracism and criminalization were frequently used as means to discourage dueling. Another solution, though it seems to brush up hard against the first amendment, was to pass laws prohibiting â€Å"fighting words†. Fighting words being those said with the intention of inciting violence, whether they be true or not. By 1942, the Supreme Court had â€Å"marginally enshrined† the concept of â€Å"fighting words† as constitutional (Rosen, 2002). Even though the concept had been accepted, by the time 1942 came along the culture of honor that would have led to personal insults resulting in duels to the death had long since passed away. The Old South was forever gone and, with it, the need for gentlemen to settle their disputes, however petty they may seem by modern standards, with a flintlock pistol or shotgun. Another antidote to the culture of honor was ridicule. A New York Times Article from May 19. 1886 betrays a bit of Northern condescension toward the honorable society of the sophisticated Southern gentry: What would a few years ago have been a difficulty between two eminent Colonels in North Carolina has now shrunk to the proportions of an affair, and now seems likely to dwindled still further to a mere incident. It is well worth noting as an illustration of how far modern ideas have penetrated the fastness to which chivalry has betaken itself (New York Times, 1886). With the end of the Confederacy came the end of the antebellum notions of honor and, with it, the feeling, at least in the Northern states, that its demise was no cause for nostalgia but a sign of progress. RULES OF THE GAME Like the vast majority of the men who engaged in then, duels had their roots in Europe. Like many early American customs, dueling was imported. Starting in the Middle Ages, European nobles had defended their honor in man-to-man battles. An early version of dueling was known as judicial combat, so called because God allegedly judged the man in the right and let him win (Public Broadcasting Service, 2000). Above all other things, duels are a highly regulated, ritualized form of violence. They are not a spontaneous brawl nor are they an organized military battle where commanders endeavor to keep their tactics and intentions secret from their opponents. In a duel, both parties know the rules from the start and make their intentions clear. If there is a source document for the accepted rules of dueling, it would have to be the 1777 Code Duello, written by a group of Irishmen (Public Broadcasting Service, 2000). The code was finalized at Clonmel Summer Assizes and intended to be adopted throughout Ireland. It was followed in adoption in England and in America with some variations in the latter (Public Broadcasting Service, 2000). The rules are quite exacting. The first rule, in fact, specifies that in a case where a man was insulted, it is the obligation of he who insulted him to apologize first, even if the insulted offered a much harsher retort than the original insult. Much of the document has to do less with the rules of the actual duel and more to do with mending the wounds to the insulted party’s honor, or ego. The Code Duello applies to combat undertaken with sword and gun but does mention the most condescending form of punishment, being beaten or caned, usually reserved for lower classes, in the context of offering oneself to be caned as a way of apologizing and taking responsibility for the instigating insult. Rule 5. As a blow is strictly prohibited under any circumstances among gentlemen, no verbal apology can be received for such an insult. The alternatives, therefore the offender handing a cane to the injured party, to be used on his own back, at the same time begging pardon; firing on until one or both are disabled; or exchanging three shots, and then asking pardon without proffer of the cane (Public Broadcasting Service, 2000). The rules are predictably chauvinistic, as well, insults to a lady being regarded as particularly heinous and requiring their own extreme form of apology. Two of the rules are particularly interesting in the way they act to control the violence. Rule 13 states that there shall be no â€Å"dumb shooting† or firing into the air as a means of preventing frivolous disputes from escalating to the level of a duel. Though the rule stipulates that â€Å"The challenger ought not to have challenged without receiving offence† and that the challenged should have apologized before he reached the place of the duel. Jackson and Avery, in a duel where they both forewent taking a fatal shot at their opponent, clearly both violated this rule. Depending on one’s perspective, this could be taken to both of their credits or detriments where honor is concerned. Seconds, through whom the duelists communicated and who were responsible for arranging the terms and rules of the duel, are regulated heavily in behavior and station in the Code Duello. Seconds were to be the duelist’s equal in social rank. The Second’s job, aside from facilitating and arranging the duel, was to try to reach reconciliation between the parties. According to Rule 21 of the Code, â€Å"Seconds are bound to attempt a reconciliation before the meeting takes place, or after sufficient firing or hits, as specified. † What is particularly telling about The Code Duello is the specificity of the rules. Dueling was clearly a sport, though a deadly one, by which men could redeem whatever honor had been taken from them by an insult, deed or implication. As gentlemen, the strictly-regulated nature of their conflicts separated them from the brawlers of the lower classes. In America, there were conventions not specified in the Code Duello. Duelists, though their Seconds could draw up contracts detailing the specifics of the duel and weapons other than pistols or swords could be used at the duelist’s preference (Williams, p. 50). Particularly deadly as a dueling weapon was the shotgun. Where the high degree of inaccuracy associated with smooth-bore, flintlock weapons may well have saved the lives of more than one duelist (see the Clingman vs. Yancey duel described below) a shotgun requires little skill to ensure a hit. However, even among the elite classes, dueling was not automatically thought of as manly or honorable and was even viewed with scorn by some of America’s most famous men. George Washington congratulated one of his officers on refusing a challenge to duel (Public Broadcasting Service, 2000), quite different from what would have been expected by a Southern military man who had declined such a challenge. Benjamin Franklin, for his part, failed to see the point of dueling at all. â€Å"For him , the duels seemed a pointless activity because it could not determine whether a man had really lied†¦ (Greenberg, p. 14). † From Franklin’s perspective, all the emphasis on honor was rather silly. For the Northerner, a duel over a debt failed to get the money back and was, therefore, essentially useless. For the Southern gentleman, the debt itself was pointless, the duel was about honor and tradition (Greenberg, p. 15). It would be difficult to find a modern American equivalent to the honor dueling that took place in the antebellum South. One could argue that sports such as boxing, wrestling and the â€Å"cage fighting† events such as the Ultimate Fighting Challenge are similar, but they are typically arranged fights based on factors such as weight class and fighting record, not on personal slights. While a fist-fight may erupt over an insult to a woman’s honor or a man’s, these are not the regulated, proscribed duels of the past. In short, a duel existed as a means of controlling and regulating violence as much as it was a means of fostering it. Where the modern world is concerned, the heavily-regulated and ritualized world of the Southern gentleman duelist is conspicuously absent. NOTABLE AMERICAN DUELS Burr vs. Hamilton On July 11, 1804, long-standing political and personal tension between Aaron Burr and Alexander Hamilton, two of America’s â€Å"founding fathers† came to a head. Their rivalry was longstanding and Burr believed he may have been the President, instead of the Vice President, if it had not been for Hamilton’s interference (Americas Library, 2008). The Hamilton-Burr duel is an instance where a personal insult was the impetus for the duel. Hamilton voiced his disdain for Burr at a political dinner held for the Federalist party. The exact slur was not printed but Burr twice demanded and failed to receive what he would have considered an adequate apology from Hamilton. After failing the Second time, Burr demanded a duel (Jefferson National Expansion, 2008). Burr, ultimately, did receive â€Å"satisfaction†. He shot and mortally wounded Hamilton, who shot his pistol into the air, and Hamilton died the next day (Jefferson National Expansion, 2008). Burr was indicted for murder, dueling was not legal in New York, but was never prosecuted for the crime (Americas Library, 2008). He went on to serve out his term as Vice President. A question that had plagued historians is why, exactly, these men undertook such a drastic means of settling what amount to a fairly petty matter. For Burr, obviously, the idea of avenging an insult is explanation enough. But Hamilton was opposed to dueling on moral and religious grounds. He did not even expect to be challenged to a duel but was known for being very protective of his notions of personal honor, possibly because of his insecurities concerning his own illegitimacy (Freeman, 1996). However, Hamilton’s failure to respond was not meant as an insult. Rather, a friend, Rufus king, advised Hamilton that the letter sent to Hamilton by Burr did not merit a response. Hamilton intended to accept a challenge should it have been offered but he hadn’t any intention of shooting Burr (Freeman, 1996). According to Joanne B. Freeman, Hamilton’s moral reasoning for accepting the duel was thus: He had satisfied the code of honor by accepting Burr’s challenge, violating the civil law only under duress. He had maintained his political integrity by refusing to apologize for heartfelt political convictions. Now he would uphold his moral and religious principles by withholding his fire (Freeman, 1996). It is interesting that Hamilton wanted none of the â€Å"satisfaction† of killing or wounding his opponent. As we shall see, this pageant aspect of dueling was not entirely unique, as represented in the Jackson vs. Avery duel described below. For Hamilton, his honor would be sustained by not killing his opponent. Convoluted reasoning, to be certain, but quite in line with the more Northern ideal that honor could be measured by a man’s ability to withhold from vices, in this case bloodlust. Hamilton saw the honor in dueling not in the death of his opponent, but in having the courage to participate in such an affair, which he felt would benefit him politically as well as personally (Freeman, 1996). Jackson vs. Dickinson A very characteristically Southern duel between Andrew Jackson and Charles Dickinson. Charles Dickinson, 27 years old and having had a few drinks in him, made some â€Å"uncomplimentary remarks about Rachel Jackson, Andrew’s Wife, who was the subject of much gossip (Williams, p. 18). † The reaction was predictable, the next day Andrew Jackson confronted Dickinson, who attempted to no avail to apologize and found himself facing off against Jackson on â€Å"the field of honor† in May of 1806. According to William’s account, Dickinson aimed and did successfully wound Jackson in the chest. Old Hickory, however, lived up to his name and did not fall when struck. He clutched the wound, took one shot that failed to discharge his weapon and then a Second that killed Dickinson. Clay vs. Randolph On Saturday, April 8, 1825, Henry Clay and John Randolph squared off in Virginia over the latter’s support for John Quincy Adams and Clay’s having insulted Randolph for it. Randolph had a reputation for being a deadly-accurate marksman and it was assumed among most Washington officials that Clay would not survive the encounter. What followed was as farcical as any duel could have been. Randolph’s pistol discharged before the duel was underway. Clay, not satisfied, insisted that they carry though. The duel was held at thirty-steps distance, apparently beyond the marksmanship skills of either duelist. Clay shot and hit the ground, Randolph managed to hit a tree stump. Still, despite the urging of a Second, they insisted on carrying through. The third attempt was slightly more impressive, Clay managed to penetrate Randolph’s coat. Randolph, according to the Code Duello, now had the right to fire upon Clay. After stretching out the moment, apparently for maximum dramatic impact, he opted to fire into the air, against the rules of the Code Duello. Clay inquired whether he had injured Mr. Randolph’s to which Randolph replied â€Å"No, Mr. Clay. But you owe me a new coat. † (Kentucky, 2005) NOTABLE NORTH CAROLINA DUELS Carson vs. Vance The Carson vs. Vance duel is representative of most Southern duels in both its impetus and the means in which it was conducted. Samuel P. Carson and Robert Brank Vance would seem, at first blush, to be men who had much in common. Both were known for their intelligence, their political skill and their charisma. In fact, the pair of them were friends before a political debate and a series of bitter slurs against Carson and his family on the part of Vance would tear the two apart and lead to their meeting on â€Å"the field of honor†. Vance and Carson both came from families with prestigious backgrounds, Carson’s noted for his father’s service under Washington. Vance was a physician who, upon winning a lottery, retired early and entered politics. Both served as members of Congress where their skill came to be well-respected among their peers. Carson, for his part, was popular not only among people of his own class but even among the slaves at his father’s plantation. Vance was noticeably short, having a left leg six inches shorter than his right but his remarkable intelligence came to overshadow his physical form to most who made his acquaintance. Though the two were friends, during the course of a political debate in 1827, Vance would set into motion a series of events that would lead to their eventual duel. During the debate, after both men insinuated that the other wasn’t so honest or trustworthy as they represented, Vance called Carson, in so many words, a coward. Vance did not believe that Carson would ever resort to a duel as Carson had refused to enter one years before. Things got even worse when Vance began attacking Carson’s father’s military record. Implying that Col. Carson had sought the protection of the British, Vance essentially accused the Colonel, and, thereby his family, of being cowards and unworthy of their social status. Vance, despite his rather vicious efforts to disparage his opponent, lost the election. Colonel Carson wrote Vance an angry letter in regards to the accusations. Vance replied that he could not have an altercation with so aged a man as Colonel Carson and said that one of the Colonel’s son’s should step up to defend the old man’s honor. Colonel Carson sent a proxy to inquire as to which son Vance meant and Vance replied that Sam knew that Vance was speaking of him. Sam accepted the challenge. The duel took place on Saluda Gap on the North/South Carolina line. The weapons were pistols at ten yards. Vance missed his mark but Carson did not, sending a ball through Vance’s hip where it lodged. Vance died of his wound about 30 hours later at a hotel. Carson had expressed a desire to speak with Vance following the duel and Vance said that he held no ill-will toward Carson. The two never did speak, however, and the incident is said to have had negative repercussions on Carson for the rest of his life (Arthur, 1914). Clingman vs. Yancey Depending upon one’s view of the custom of dueling, the â€Å"duel† between Thomas Clingman and William Yancey was either a noble instance of two men desperately trying to uphold the rigid customs of honor or a revealing example of the ridiculous nature of wanting to avenge insult with murder. Yancey, an Alabama congressman, had viciously attacked Clingman in a political speech, impugning Clingman’s loyalty to the South. This was in retaliation to Clingman’s attacks upon the Democrats which was a notably fiery piece of rhetoric (Jeffrey, p. 49). Both speeches were characteristic of the fierce partisanship of the time. Clingman was a Whig and Yancey a Democrat. However, a distinction between the remarks given by Clingman and those given by Yancey were that Yancey’s attacked Clingman personally . Clingman’s remarks were certainly over-the-top but they were not, at least in a personal sense, over-the-line (Jeffrey, p. 49). Yancey had turned the art of parliamentary rhetoric into a personal assault. The North Carolina Standard said that â€Å"Never was any man so severely castigated as Mr. Clingman was. (Jeffrey, p. 49). On January 6 or 1845 Clingman told Yancey that he intended to press the matter. He challenged Yancey to meet him in Baltimore where he intended to deliver a formal challenge. Unfortunately, despite Clingman’s enthusiasm for the duel, he was not familiar with the art of shooting

Role of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC)

Role of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) For many countries in the global landscape, its economic situation is perhaps one of the most important concerns which are duly given enough priority by the government. The economic situation of a certain nation is highly indicative of the countrys performance as well as the state of living of its citizens. It is therefore a major concern among national governments to protect the best interest of their domestic economy, as well as local business, in the objective if being able to establish a successful nation. With this, it is a priority for many countries to be proud of many globally operating organizations and economic councils which will not only help them foster a better trading and economic relationship with other nations but will also help them establish global presence. One of such groups would be the APEC or the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation. In this research paper, the researcher seeks to examine the APEC in general while being able to provide its background and what it does to be able to help improve the economic condition of its member countries. More importantly, the research will examine some of the issues in APEC and how such were overcome through the policies and recommendations from the said economic body. The impact of APEC on its member countries will also be examined to be able to provide evidence of its significant efficiency. This research would generally seek to discuss the role of APEC in helping its member countries establish a more sustainable and stable economic situation. WHAT IS APEC? The Asia Pacific Economic Forum or APEC is a premiere forum which is primarily responsible for facilitating economic growth, cooperation, trade, and investment in the region of the Asia Pacific. It was established to promote economic integration around the Pacific Rim and with the goal of being able to sustain economic growth especially among its 21 member nations. The members of APEC are Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Hong Kong China, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Peru, Republic of Korea, Russia, Singapore, Chinese Taipei, Thailand, United States, and Vietnam. An open trade and the establishment of closer economic relation are among the priorities of each member countries in the APEC. Being the primary vehicle in the region to be able to promote trade, investment, and economic cooperation, it is expected that APEC will be able to generate favorable circumstances and activities such as increased employment opportunities and the dev elopment of the local community. Since its inception in 1989 to this current time, APEC has initiated various economic activities which resulted into better business among local nations such as the implementation of reduced tariffs. The APEC is very significant in the global economy primarily because its members, collectively, are acknowledged for being drivers of the growth of the global economy. The individual economic performance of the Asian countries and members of APEC are all seen to have made significant contributions in the success of the international economic situation. Another reason on why APEC is seen to be very significant in the global trading is because its member economies are representative of around 42% of the worlds population while it occupies 43% of the worlds total land area. APEC AND THE WTO Both the APEC and the WTO have been active and demonstrated success in their goals of being able to help in the improvement of the performance of domestic economies by being able to facilitate trading and other economic activities. Both have played active and significant roles in being able to liberalize trading. While the WTO is able to promote trade liberalization on a multilateral level, the same thing was done by APEC, only that it covers only the regional level. This is basically because the very nature of the said economic cooperation is limited when it comes to membership size and economic significance. Although the two organizations both have the same goal of being able to liberalize trade, they have totally different approaches on how to achieve such goals. This makes the WTO to be considered as the locus of negotiations and rule-making while the APEC is considered as the consultative body. the rules of the WTO are absolute and applicable all the members of the group while the APEC is more open to dialogue and it is basically voluntary in terms of participation in their economic and trading provisions and other executions or strategic actions. THE STRATEGIC ROADMAP To be able to effectively reach its goals and to be able to help its member countries build a better domestic economy, APEC has established a framework which serves as its roadmap towards achieving success in its operations  [1]  . The following are the basic principles which are dinetified in the said roadmap: non-discrimination; comprehensiveness; simultaneous start, continuous process, and differentiated timetables; comparability; standstill; transparency; consistency with the World Trade Organization; flexibility; and cooperation. Based on these major principles, APEC is seen to operate based on commitments which are assume to be non-binding, facilitates open dialogue, and practices equal respect fro the views of its member nations or participating countries. The strategic roadmap of APEC is influenced by the initiatives of its member countries like three of the worlds most dynamic economies  [2]  , along with the tiger economies of the Asian continent. The goals of APEC are expected to be achieved through a balanced program of: liberalization to be able to dismantle the barriers towards international economic transactions; being able to facilitate investment and trade to effectively reduce divergences which are not needed for domestic policies which are highly influential of international trade; technical cooperation which enables its members to share information as well as skills which are required to enhance the efficiency and availability of regional infrastructure; and coordination of economic policies to be able to help reduce risks or uncertainties in the economy. TOWARDS SUSTAINABILITY The succeeding section of this research will provide a discussion on some of the initiatives of the economic organization through the years since its inception  [3]  . During the annual conventions of the member countries, strategies and new goals are laid out in which the members perpetually work for its achievement. Some of these things will be briefly discussed in the next paragraphs in the goal of the researcher to provide some of the initiatives of APEC towards the establishment of a more sustainable economy and nation. The Blake Island Economic Vision In the year 1993, economic leaders from the member countries of APEC gathered in Seattle to be able to discuss the ongoing economic condition and measures in which such problems could be given resolution for the longer term. During this forum in Seattle, the major problems which have been identified include erosion of multilateral global trading system, rise of inward-looking regionalism, and fragmentation within the Asia Pacific. During this convention, a proposition was made to change the meaning of APEC to Asia Pacific Economic Community but it was not approved for such was not deemed appropriate. Furthermore, $2 million  [4]  was also released to fund the activities of the organization in the following year. The leaders, who attended the meeting from APEC member countries, presented The Blake Island Economic Vision. The vision which they created is reflective of how they see the following years would be. The vision which the leaders created presented a call for an Asia Pacific which can be able to fully harness, utilize, and maximize its diverse economies while being able to have strengthened cooperation and promoting prosperity. Another achievement of APEC in the same year is the initiative to push for the creation of the Pacific Business Forum  [5]  and the APEC Education Program  [6]  . The Osaka Action Agenda The Osaka Action Agenda presents two components of how APEC member countries seek to improve its economic condition and sustainability: trade liberalization and facilitation and economic and technical co-operation. The trade liberalization and facilitation seeks to discus fifteen key areas which are seen to be vital in the economic activities of the member nations. These include: tariffs, review of non-tariff measures, investment, procedural custom activities, rights regarding intellectual property, services, purchasing from the national government, policies affecting the competitive environment, conformance with standards, rules of origin, deregulation, implementation of the results of Uruguay Round, mobility of people in business, mediation between disputes and conflicts, gathering of information and analysis. Furthermore, the economic and technical co-operation covers thirteen areas including: small and medium scale enterprises, the development of human resource, industrial scienc e and technology, transportation, tourism, energy, information and telecommunication, infrastructure of the local economy, promotion of trade, information about investment and trade, fisheries, agricultural technology, and conservation of the marine resource  [7]  . Manila Action Plan for APEC A year after the Osaka Action Agenda was laid out, APEC identified the Manila Action Plan for APEC or MAPA which included individual and collective action plans which could be able to help to bring the Bogor goals  [8]  into reality. The individual action plans of the member countries were compiled to be able to help the group stipulate measures which would be necessary to be undertaken to bring into possibility the achievement of free and open trading by 2010 or 2020. Moreover, it was also during the same APEC conference were the members have identified high priority issues which need their immediate attention for resolution to help sustain their economic conditions. These areas include developing human capital; fostering safe and efficient capital markets; strengthening the economic infrastructure; harnessing technologies of the future; promoting growth and improvement which is environmentally sustainable; and encouraging the prosperity of small and medium scale enterprises whi ch are significant in the collective growth of the member countries and of the region in general. Sustaining Growth, Connecting the Region The APEC Summit which was held in Singapore in 2009 marked the twenty years of the organization in pursuit of its objectives. During the summit, the member countries have acknowledged the fact that many things have changed since the inception of APEC although the organization still remains in its pursuit of supporting the growth and economic prosperity in the Asia Pacific region through various trading and economic activities such as free and open trade and investments. It ahs been identified that the robust policies of the organization have helped its member countries to recover from the financial crisis and economic downturn which hit the global economy. It ahs also been identified that responding to food security has been a top priority the year prior to the summit as evident by the calamities which struck its members. During the summit, the leaders also stressed the need to fight corruption, improve governance and implement transparency. These things are seen to be contributory t o the improvement of domestic economies in the Pacific Rim. APEC CHALLENGES In spite the contributions of APEC to the economic development and sustainability of the Pacific Rim, it is also confronted by a number of challenges. This calls for continued initiatives in order to improve the economic situation and to be able to help the organization establish a brighter economic condition in the future. One of the challenges identified to confront the organization is on how it is going to manage globalization as such is seen to have a significant effect on its member countries. The organization is also facing the challenge of how it will be able to effectively manage regional and bilateral free trade agreements which is very critical in the trading activities of member countries. Another challenge which should be overcome by APEC is its initiative to be able to create a free and open trading to its region. Until now, efforts to be able to help achieve such objective are seen to have remained ill defined. There is a need for APEC to realize that it needs modifications with regards to agenda-setting mechanism and procedures. The organization would need to set it eyes towards goals for the longer years and bring the goals into reality such as the achievement of free trade. This year, APEC faces a greater challenge as the deadline is already set for the achievement of the Bogor goals, which is the establishment of free trade. This is apart from other challenges which will confront the organization in succeeding years such as the threat from protectionism and lack of trust on financial institutions. To be able to recover from the financial crisis which hit the economy in the previous years, there is a great challenge not only to attract dynamic investments to boost the economic situation on the Pacific but also to bring back the trust into institutions of finance. By this way, it is acknowledged that a better business will be on its way. Furthermore, the member countries are also challenged to be able to improve its current standings on the World Banks Ease of Doing Business Index. Through this, it is anticipated that more investments will come in as a means of improving financial condition. Several APEC economies are already included in the top five an din the top twenty of the list which is a good indication of the fruitful years to come for the region. A challenge is also posed to address the growing disparities between the urban and rural regions especially with regards to levels of education, social inclusion, and health care provision. CONCLUSION This research does not disregard the importance of the WTO in the trading relationships and quest for the improvement of the economic situation in the Asia Pacific. However, it necessitates the significance of the role which was assumed by APEC to be able to help improve the condition of its member nations. Since its inception in 1989, the organization has helped identified measures on how to achieve greater economic visibility and improved domestic performance through free and open trade and investments among another factors. Nonetheless, twenty years after its establishment, the organization still remains to be challenged by the uncertainties of the economic situation. In the following years, it is expected that the increased importance of the role of the organization, along with WTO, will be more significant in the achievement of prosperity in the Asia Pacific. APEC has signaled the growth of a new political and economic order in the Asia Pacific region through the years. However, the uncertainties in the economic situation made it harder for the organization to achieve its goals and work its way towards prosperity and improvement of the status quo. The organization has also demonstrated positive effects not only on member nations but also towards non-member countries. The perpetual goal of APEC still remains to be the possibility of being able to establish a seamless market or a single economy for the benefit of the Asia Pacific  [9]  . The organization remains true to its commitment of helping countries be able to establish a more sustainable and economic condition. Through the years, the organization is left with shoes to fill and expectations to fulfill on its ability to bring a free and open trading and attract investments in the region in order to trigger economic activity and condition on individual member countries and the Pacif ic Rim in general.

The Death of Women Wang by Jonathen Spence Essay -- imperial china, chi

It is a common myth to people of Western world that women in imperial China were closeted, constantly subjugated and not allowed to make anything of themselves beyond a good daughter, wife, and mother. To the contrary, women, as mentioned in The Death of Women Wang by Jonathen Spence, had come options open to them, and while certainly they were not as numerous or desirable as those open to men, they did exist [Spence 124]. Six Records of a Floating Life bu Shen Fu portrays women in quite a different light that women of imperial China are generally perceived with; the author's wife is creative, intelligent, spirited and active. She was educated to some degree and would make up spontaneous poems with her husband [Fu 31, 34]. In Chinese literary tradition, women authors are often only briefly touched upon or ignored completely, while in fact there were many of them, some of whom made a living for themselves by writing or painting. There are, in fact, over a dozen examples of women who were published for their writing skills, from the Tang to the Qing, but here the focus in on the Qing, which began officially in 1644 and ended in the 1900's. These short examples are all of 17th-century China, drawn from Women Writers of Traditional China: An Anthology of Poetry and Criticism, edited by Kang-i Sun Chang and Haun Saussy and published by Stanford University Press in 1999. The earliest example comes from before the Qing: Xu Cun, a poet born in Suzhou, Jiangsu province, 1610. She married Chen Zhilin, who became a jinshi in 1637, and later held the titles of Grand Secretary, Junior Guardian, and Grand Guardian of the Hair Apparent. He died in 1666 and five years later Xu Cu petitioned the emperor to have his remains reburied in his h... ... for themselves despite the repressive society they lived in. Women of the Qing and beyond were not all idle or disengaged from the world around them; as has been seen, a respectable number of them were active, engaged individuals with minds of their own and a firm place in the annals literary history. Works Cited â€Å"Qing Dynasty: Seventeenth Century.† Women Writers of Traditional China: An Anthology of Poetry and Criticism. Chang, Kang-I and Haun Saussy. Stanford, CL: Stanford University Press, 1999. 337-429. Print. Fu, Shen. Six Records of a Floating Life. Trans. Leonard Pratt and Chiang Su-hui. New York: Penguin Putnam Inc., 1983. Print. Mann, Susan. The Talented Women of The Zhang Family. Los Angeles, CL: University of California Press, 2007. Print. Spence, Jonathan. The Death of Woman Wang. 1978. New York: Penguin Books, 1979. Print.

American Exceptionalism

The term American Exceptionalism has many definitions to many different people. In general it refers to the idea that the United States of America holds the special title of worldwide peace keeper and bringer of justice and democracy as they are the land of the free. American Conservatives; such as the Tea Party, also pair the phrase up with the idea of superiority; whereas liberals would much more prefer Americans to see their country as ‘ordinary’ and so dislike the term. To them ordinary means things like American does not always assume its place as the world’s super power but simple acts as an international negotiator in times of need. The terminology was coined in 1831 by Alexis de Tocqueville as to explain a positive outward effect of America’s democracy. In 1929 the phrase was used adversely by the Soviet leader Joseph Stalin, when opposing the idea of the growth of capitalism in the states. In theory, American Exceptionalism works because of four key principles: divine right, resources, just beliefs and diversity. Many believe that the United States was chosen by God to lead the world and so they have the divine power to act in such a way over other countries. Although, others feel that the sheer wealth and resources the country has- such as the most powerful armed forces in the world gives them this power. Some consider the strong ideas and principles that the country was founded on as to the reason they have a greater say; whereas others argue that it is the mix of heritage and cultures, which makes America a kind of highbred of the best of the world, allowing for it to have this exceptional place in the world today. An odd and contradicting feature of the concept is that as an America knows best; they may over power their own legal system, other countries and conduct various types of secret activities if to protect the democratic system and state interests. America knows best: we must invade Iraq to free the people there from the dictatorship they live in, and then as a secondary thought because, they may have weapons of mass destruction (and oil that could be a lot of use to us). The idea that hacking people’s internet history and phone calls is just and fine, because the government can act beyond its means, as in the end they are protecting people from themselves- since they know best! The idea of Exceptionalism has allowed America to involve itself in many conflicts since the Mexican- American War of1846; where the Americans refused to accept that Mexico did not want to be a part of the United States and felt it was their mission to spread ‘freedom’ to the people of Mexico, right through to the Iraq war. During the Cold War the power of American Exceptionalism was used to display the American way of life as the right way and to try and crush the rising power of Communism. Ronald Reagan famously said that America had a duty to be â€Å"shining city on the hill† that the rest of the world would look up to. There are many positives and yet, many negatives of American Exceptionalism, and it is the principles of the term itself have brought about its demise. The waters have been muddied and so there are now many variations of the meaning of the words, which depend on the people using them. There is a spectrum of opinion: to some America is the almighty bringer of justice, and may do this by any means as long as they reach their end target of a freer and fair world. By contrast, others feel that Exceptionalism is simply used as a cover for the falling giant to do whatever it wants; from the invasions of lesser off countries, to spying on the day to day lives of millions of Americans. The use of Exceptionalism in foreign policy is often questioned; is it just a front the country can hide behind when actually working for personal gains rather than the good of the people? The expression is often used today in questioning America’s place as a super power. At a press conference in 2009 Obama was asked about his belief in American Exceptionalism he said: â€Å"I believe in American Exceptionalism, just as I suspect the Brits believe in British Exceptionalism and the Greeks believe in Greek Exceptionalism†. In 2013 Mitt Romney used this comment to attack Obama, stating that he did not believe in the power of the United States as a power, yet them comment had little power as the term has been lost somewhat. The majority of the countries have democracy, or have made a greater step towards it over the last century, leaving America with a much lesser role as the bringer of social equality. American Exceptionalism has shaped the world we live today, without it both America and Britain would not be looked to as a role model of strong democratic systems and equality. The idea has brought the same concepts to many other countries and helped to advance areas such as industry and the role of women. However, in recent years the power of American Exceptionalism has faded and the flaws have become more visible. The positive effects of American Exceptionalism are now much gentler, and the goal is more to help countries create justice, rather than impose America’s view. American Exceptionalism The term American Exceptionalism has many definitions to many different people. In general it refers to the idea that the United States of America holds the special title of worldwide peace keeper and bringer of justice and democracy as they are the land of the free. American Conservatives; such as the Tea Party, also pair the phrase up with the idea of superiority; whereas liberals would much more prefer Americans to see their country as ‘ordinary’ and so dislike the term. To them ordinary means things like American does not always assume its place as the world’s super power but simple acts as an international negotiator in times of need. The terminology was coined in 1831 by Alexis de Tocqueville as to explain a positive outward effect of America’s democracy. In 1929 the phrase was used adversely by the Soviet leader Joseph Stalin, when opposing the idea of the growth of capitalism in the states. In theory, American Exceptionalism works because of four key principles: divine right, resources, just beliefs and diversity. Many believe that the United States was chosen by God to lead the world and so they have the divine power to act in such a way over other countries. Although, others feel that the sheer wealth and resources the country has- such as the most powerful armed forces in the world gives them this power. Some consider the strong ideas and principles that the country was founded on as to the reason they have a greater say; whereas others argue that it is the mix of heritage and cultures, which makes America a kind of highbred of the best of the world, allowing for it to have this exceptional place in the world today. An odd and contradicting feature of the concept is that as an America knows best; they may over power their own legal system, other countries and conduct various types of secret activities if to protect the democratic system and state interests. America knows best: we must invade Iraq to free the people there from the dictatorship they live in, and then as a secondary thought because, they may have weapons of mass destruction (and oil that could be a lot of use to us). The idea that hacking people’s internet history and phone calls is just and fine, because the government can act beyond its means, as in the end they are protecting people from themselves- since they know best! The idea of Exceptionalism has allowed America to involve itself in many conflicts since the Mexican- American War of1846; where the Americans refused to accept that Mexico did not want to be a part of the United States and felt it was their mission to spread ‘freedom’ to the people of Mexico, right through to the Iraq war. During the Cold War the power of American Exceptionalism was used to display the American way of life as the right way and to try and crush the rising power of Communism. Ronald Reagan famously said that America had a duty to be â€Å"shining city on the hill† that the rest of the world would look up to. There are many positives and yet, many negatives of American Exceptionalism, and it is the principles of the term itself have brought about its demise. The waters have been muddied and so there are now many variations of the meaning of the words, which depend on the people using them. There is a spectrum of opinion: to some America is the almighty bringer of justice, and may do this by any means as long as they reach their end target of a freer and fair world. By contrast, others feel that Exceptionalism is simply used as a cover for the falling giant to do whatever it wants; from the invasions of lesser off countries, to spying on the day to day lives of millions of Americans. The use of Exceptionalism in foreign policy is often questioned; is it just a front the country can hide behind when actually working for personal gains rather than the good of the people? The expression is often used today in questioning America’s place as a super power. At a press conference in 2009 Obama was asked about his belief in American Exceptionalism he said: â€Å"I believe in American Exceptionalism, just as I suspect the Brits believe in British Exceptionalism and the Greeks believe in Greek Exceptionalism†. In 2013 Mitt Romney used this comment to attack Obama, stating that he did not believe in the power of the United States as a power, yet them comment had little power as the term has been lost somewhat. The majority of the countries have democracy, or have made a greater step towards it over the last century, leaving America with a much lesser role as the bringer of social equality. American Exceptionalism has shaped the world we live today, without it both America and Britain would not be looked to as a role model of strong democratic systems and equality. The idea has brought the same concepts to many other countries and helped to advance areas such as industry and the role of women. However, in recent years the power of American Exceptionalism has faded and the flaws have become more visible. The positive effects of American Exceptionalism are now much gentler, and the goal is more to help countries create justice, rather than impose America’s view.

Least, Less, More, and Most

Least, Less, More, and Most â€Å"Least,† â€Å"Less,† â€Å"More,† and â€Å"Most† â€Å"Least,† â€Å"Less,† â€Å"More,† and â€Å"Most† By Mark Nichol The adjectives least, less, more, and most present difficulties for writers when the words are paired with other adjectives: Should hyphens be employed? And what about when little, much, and similar terms are involved? Generally, do not hyphenate such constructions. The following examples are all correct: â€Å"She bought the least expensive shampoo.† â€Å"I’ve never heard a less interesting story.† â€Å"That wasn’t the most regrettable part.† â€Å"We have a more likely explanation.† But use these words cautiously in such sentences. For example, â€Å"He made several more successful efforts† is ambiguous: Does it mean that the person added a few successful efforts to his record of previous successful ones, or that the person’s efforts were more successful than previous ones? Some writers choose to hyphenate â€Å"more successful† when appropriate in such a context, but such a strategy leads to inconsistency when the hyphen is omitted in a similar but unambiguous statement. â€Å"He made several additional successful efforts† or â€Å"He made several efforts that were more successful,† respectively, clarifies the writer’s intent without making exceptions. Very is another problematic term. Most writers likely consider it obvious that no hyphen belongs in â€Å"John held up a very full bucket,† but very stands alone even when it modifies a hyphenated phrasal adjective, as in â€Å"They chose three very well-liked students.† But compare these conventions with the custom for such words as little, much, seldom, and often. These words, all of which except often can be adjectives or adverbs, serve the latter function when they precede an adjective and a noun and in this case, they require a hyphen. (That’s counterintuitive, because adjectives are often hyphenated to a following word, while adverbs rarely are.) Here are some examples: â€Å"Mary spoke about a little-understood aspect of the animal’s behavior.† â€Å"He explained a much-misunderstood phenomenon.† â€Å"The seldom-seen plant is found in only one place.† â€Å"The project was plagued by interventions with often-inconclusive results.† (As with phrasal adjectives, these word pairs are not hyphenated after the noun. For example, â€Å"Mary spoke about an aspect of the animal’s behavior that is little understood.†) Note this exception: â€Å"The somewhat subjective report omitted some important details.† Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Style category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Possessive of Proper Names Ending in S41 Words That Are Better Than GoodWhat Is a Doctor?

How enzyme ripeness in pineapple affects the setting of gelatine Essays

How enzyme ripeness in pineapple affects the setting of gelatine Essays How enzyme ripeness in pineapple affects the setting of gelatine Paper How enzyme ripeness in pineapple affects the setting of gelatine Paper Gelatine, more commonly known as Jelly, is a substance that consists mainly of collagen, a protein found in animal tendons and skin. The gelatine used for cooking purposes is usually in the form of granules. These granules swell when they are re-hydrated in water, but only fully dissolve in hot water. As this solution cools it sets to a moisture holding gel. This gel forms due to the proteins in gelatine joining to form a web like structure. In Module 1 A-level Biology, we learn about the structure of a protein molecule. A protein molecule is formed when amino acids join together by condensation, forming a peptide bond and water as a bi-product. A chain of many amino acids is known as a polypeptide and a protein can consist of one or more of these. The opposite of condensation is hydrolysis. When hydrolysis occurs a peptide bond is broken and water is used up in the reaction. There are specific enzymes called proteases (Module 2), which can be found in fruits such as pineapple, that speed up the hydrolysis reaction that breaks down protein molecules. From research I have found that it is a protease called bromelain found in pineapple, which in the scenario is preventing the gelatine from setting by breaking up the proteins forming the web like structure. It is also in Module 1 that we learn how enzymes perform such tasks, and the conditions that best suit them. Enzymes are proteins which act as catalysts. They have a tertiary structure that provides them with an active site; a groove in the enzyme surface that combines precisely with a substrate of a specific shape and charge. The lock and key hypothesis states that the substrate binds to the active site to form an enzyme substrate complex. The substrate is then altered to form the product of the reaction and is released from the active site. The induced fit hypothesis is a more recent theory which suggests that the active site actually changes shape to mould itself to the substrate. The tertiary structure of enzymes also causes them to be sensitive to temperature and pH, and an enzyme will denature in extremes of these conditions. When an enzyme denatures it is no longer functional because the active site has changed shape and consequently the substrate molecule will not be able to combine with the enzyme. Increasing the temperature gives molecules more kinetic energy, so they collide more frequently and the rate increases. This is also true for enzymes up to a certain point: the optimum temperature. Above this temperature, enzymes vibrate so much that their structure is damaged and the active site altered. A change in pH disrupts the charges; consequently the active site cannot bind to the substrate. Plants produce fruit to acts as a delivery system for seeds. Fruit consist of carbohydrates that make them taste sweet (Module 1), providing attractive food for animals, which will help aid the dispersion of the seeds. Ageing of fruit is known as ripening, and this process is designed to stop animals from eating the fruit before the seeds are fully developed. When under-ripe, pineapples would not be appealing to animals because they are green in colour, tough to eat and acidic. There are enzymes responsible for the ripening of fruit which break down the starch content to produce more sweet sugars and make the fruit softer, making it more edible. Therefore, altering the conditions which effect enzyme rate of reaction, will effect how quickly a pineapple will ripen. Other enzyme activity increases in the fruit during ripening, due to certain hormones (such as ethylene). Applying this rule to pineapple: the bromelain enzyme activity will increase as the pineapple ripens. If I were to put a pineapple in cold conditions, this would slow down the ripening process because the enzymes responsible would have less kinetic energy, and I am therefore indirectly reducing the activity of bromelain. In this investigation scenario, when under-ripe pineapple was used in jelly, it set better than when ripe pineapple was used. Taking in to consideration the information I have found out above, I propose that this could have occurred due to a protease enzyme that breaks down the protein in the jelly, which is more active in the ripe pineapple than the under ripe pineapple. I will now plan a full investigation to prove my proposal by testing pineapples at different stages of ripeness. I will place one pineapple (A) in a freezer for two weeks to stop the ripening process. Another pineapple (B) will be placed in a freezer for one week and kept at room temperature for the second week. The third pineapple (C) will be kept at room temperature for two weeks. I will make sure that any pineapples kept at room temperature will not be placed near a window or radiator where the temperature may fluctuate. The pineapples in the freezer will be kept on the same shelf as each other. I will take the pineapples out of the freezer and place the in the fridge 24 hours before the experiment, to make sure they are all the same temperature at the start. Method I will prepare the jelly, according to instructions on the packet. I will then pour it in to four petri dishes and put it in the fridge to set. Before pouring the jelly in to the dish, I will measure 3/4 of the way up of the dish and make a mark. This mark is where I will pour the jelly up to to make sure that there is the same amount of jelly, which reaches the same height in each dish. To prepare the pineapple, I will remove the top and bottom, stand vertically and remove the skin, cut in to quarters and remove the core. I will not use the core because this is not usually eaten so does not apply to the scenario where the pineapple was being used in food. I will be as consistent as possible with each pineapple to make sure that I am using the same type of tissue. I will then place the quarters in the blender for ten seconds and place in a labelled beaker (labelled A, B or C). Blending the pineapple will break walls of the pineapple tissue, meaning that the enzymes will be more exposed and take effect more quickly than if the pineapple had not been blended. (To take place as soon as possible after step 2) I will take the petri dishes out of the fridge and with a borer make three holes, as far away from each other as possible in the jelly of each of the dishes. I will label the dishes A, B, and C, and measure the diameter of each of the holes made by the borer with a ruler. I will number each of the holes by writing the number on the lid and placing it underneath the dish with numbers in the same place as the corresponding hole. I will use a pipette to place the pineapple pulp in to the holes. Each type of pineapple will be in its own, labelled petri dish. One of the petri dishes will not have any pineapple put in it, and will be used as a control. I will then put the petri dishes back in the fridge and leave them there for seven days. This is enough time for the enzyme, of even the ripest pineapple to take effect. Any longer than this, and the liquefied gel from each hole may join up, making it difficult to take measurements. Putting the dishes back in the fridge will prevent any bacteria or foreign bodies attaching to the jelly which could effect the results. I will start the timer the minute that I have placed the pineapple into the holes, and have a different timer for each petri dish so I know they have had exactly the same amount of time in the fridge. After every 24 hours, I will remove them from the fridge again. From research I have done, I have found that enzymes in the pineapple will turn the gelatine from a gel to a liquid. I will measure the diameter of the area that is liquid and record my results in a table as below.

14 Essay Topics on Native American Literature for a Literary Analysis

14 Essay Topics on Native American Literature for a Literary Analysis Native American literature is one of the unique aspects to study if you are interested in learning about the indigenous cultures that once lived in North America. To truly immerse yourself in this field, you need to embrace a multifaceted approach which encompasses the aesthetic, linguistic, psychological, historical, and cultural aspects. If you have an essay coming up on this subject, here are 14 facts that will set you on the right path. Native American literature does not have one language. Even before delving into the details of themes, context, and content, you are faced with the challenge of understanding the classification. The Native American culture comprised of a myriad of different languages and tribes. Anthropologists and linguists have classified Native American languages according to similarity in grammatical structure and the geographical proximity of the speakers. The former basis of categorization results in fifty-eight major language families whereas the latter has nine major categories. Each of the nine categories has around ten to twenty tribes associated with it. The nine regions are: Mackenzie River, North Pacific Coast, Plains, Woodland, California, Southeastern, Eskimo, Plateau, and Southwestern. Most literature revolves around man’s connection with the land. An essential theme observed in both ancient myths and contemporary Native American literature is the deep connection between the identity of the people and the land they inhabit. The writings show that the culture considers the land as dynamic. Therefore, they surpass closeness to nature, creating a more complex link between the land and a person’s being or ego. Even a rudimentary study of this type of literature will reveal this aspect. Oral stories are a major part of this form of literature. Early Native American Literature contains fascinating tales, songs, chants, and prayers passed down through oral traditions. They are told using archaic language and make liberal use of literary devices such as repetition and enumeration. Some languages, for instance Papago (the language of the Tohono Oodham Nation) and Pima (the language of the Akimel Oodham), contained specific structures for oral stories. A story would have four parts; it would start out with an introduction of a stable and harmonious situation, go on to describe a disruption of stability, then tell of the efforts to restore harmony before concluding. The efforts were often told in cycles of four. Native American authors effectively shine the light on Native American literature. In 1969, the Pulitzer Prize was awarded to N. Scott Momaday for his novel ‘House Made of Dawn’. The novel has received critical acclaim and is considered pivotal in bringing Native American literature into mainstream culture. The Native American Renaissance highlights a major theme which many contemporary Native American publications share: the alienated individual who feels torn between two worlds and yearns to find an identity. Some major authors who gained popularity after the rekindling of interest are James Welch, Leslie Marmon Silko, Sherman Alexie, and Louise Erdrich. Native American literature was not documented in writing at first. When the first Europeans arrived in America, there were over 500 different Native American tribes living here. Each of these tribes had rich history and culture, but their literature was not documented in writing. Their numerous legends, tales, songs and myths were preserved through oral transmission. Thankfully, they managed to survive time, which is why you can enjoy the difference between the tales of the Navajo hunters and the pueblo-dwellers known as Acoma. Repetition of myths ensured their survival. The survival of a myth in the pre-literate Native American times depended on how often it was repeated. The more popular the tale was, the more often it was repeated and the better it retained its plot points. As it spread across to other places, the folktale would take on features unique to the local culture. This phenomenon can serve as a means to track mythology across time and space. There are different approaches to critiquing Native American literature, but one goal. Literary critics and theorists are not in complete agreement about how to approach Native American literary criticism. There is a difference in opinion regarding whether to employ modern approaches or only Native American theories. The goal, however, is the same: to avoid misinterpretations and break down the centuries-long silencing of Native American voices. Christian Missionaries in America influenced the literature. With the arrival of Christian missionaries in America, the culture, and therefore the literature of the indigenous tribes evolved. The written Native American literary tradition began in the eighteenth century. Samson Occum published his â€Å"Sermon Preached at the Execution of Moses Paul, an Indian† and William Apess wrote his â€Å"Experiences of Five Christian Indians of the Pequot Tribe†. The Native American Renaissance Era offers a wealth of contemporary literature. The Native American Renaissance era witnessed the production of many prominent works of contemporary Native American literature. A few notable authors are: Simon Ortiz (Acoma Pueblo), Wendy Rose (Hopi-Miwok), Ray Young Bear (Mesquaki), Roberta Hill (Oneida), and Joy Harjo (Creek). Literary traditions were inspired from their own surroundings. The literary traditions of Native Americans were largely influenced by their environment and surroundings. Even the creation stories of different tribes reflect environmental elements. Native American ceremonies and everyday life were also dictated by the topography of the area. The Papago tribe used to undertake a Salt Pilgrimage to reach distant salt deposits. Native American literature and tribes’ identities are related. Literature and identity are closely linked. Kelly Morgan, a Native American cultural expert claims that fiction and poetry serve as a better gauge of the cultural identities of people than scientific records. Literature is also more dynamic because it extends the cultural identity over to future generations. Communities of past, present and play a   future role in molding and transformation of literature. Several works revolve around the loss of sense of self. One of the major themes in Native American literature is the loss of a sense of self. A deeply felt presence of absence lies in the thoughts and actions of the protagonists. The loss of land and culture is reflected in the writings of contemporary and eighteenth to nineteenth century literature. DArcy McNickle’s novel â€Å"The Surrounded† is a good example of this. Nature is also part of Native American literature due to its relationship with people. A prevalent thread running through almost all of Native American literature is the interconnectedness of nature and humans. Cultural and personal identity is related to nature in many works. Authors allude to this connection using metaphors. The works of Rosario Morales, Leslie Marmon Silko, and Louise Erdrich are among the ones which illustrate this theme beautifully. The first novel to be published by a Native Indian author was â€Å"The Life and Adventures of Joaquin Murieta†. John Rollin Ridge published â€Å"The Life and Adventures of Joaquin Murieta† in 1854, telling the story of a mixed-race protagonist who becomes an outlaw and tries to defy the dominant culture and unjust treatments of the white people in frontier California. These are some general facts which you can study further and elaborate on while writing a literary analysis paper. You can also check the 20 topics on Native American literature for a literary analysis for more assistance. Need more help? Check how to write a literary analysis on Native American literature to score a great grade. References: Powell, J. (1891). Indian linguistic families of America north of Mexico. [Washington]: [U.S. G.P.O.]. Thompson, S. (1966). Tales of the North American Indians. Bloomington: Indiana University Press. Allen, P. (1986). The sacred hoop. Boston: Beacon Press. Tales of the North American Indians. (2016). Sacred-texts.com. Retrieved 16 March 2016, from sacred-texts.com/nam/tnai/ Thompson, S. (1966). Tales of the North American Indians. Bloomington: Indiana University Press. History. (2016). org. Retrieved 16 March 2016, from gilariver.org/index.php/about/history Tohono Oodham Nation History Culture. (2016). Tonation-nsn.gov. Retrieved 16 March 2016, from tonation-nsn.gov/history_culture.aspx Campbell, D. (2016). Early Native American Literature: Brief Outline Guide. wsu.edu. Retrieved 16 March 2016, from http://public.wsu.edu/~campbelld/amlit/native.htm Scarberry-Garcà ­a, Susan. Landmarks of Healing: a Study of House Made of Dawn. Albuquerque: University of New Mexico, 1990. Print. Velie, A., Lee, A. The Native American renaissance. Outline of the U.S. Literature. (2016) (1st ed., p. 5). Retrieved from http://photos.state.gov/libraries/korea/49271/february_2014/Outline_of_American_Literature_eng.pdf

The challenges in the 21st century and where the trade unions Essay

The challenges in the 21st century and where the trade unions currently lie - Essay Example The essay has various elements including the way unions work and the purpose of the initial unions to the purpose of these unions today along with the external influences such as privatization and globalization which have had a huge impact on the unions. Trade unions and how they operate Trade unions or labor unions are labor organizations which aim for the betterment of the labor force. Various employees join the trade union and are known as its members. Basically, the union focuses on achieving the common aims and goals by the employees such as higher wages and better working conditions. Solely, a worker or an employee has almost no control over the employer and therefore, he/she has a very less control in the work that he/she is doing. For example, if an employee asks the employer to increase the wage, the employer is likely to reject this demand put forward by the employee. However, a trade union has a greater say and a greater power against the employer as there are several members attached to the organization. The aim of this essay is to point out the key reasons for the fall in the importance of labor unions. Also, the reasons for a constant trade union membership decline are discussed. There are several problems which the unions face in the 21st century which are due to globalization and these changes and the reactions needed by the unions are disxussed. A trade union leader has the power to negotiate with the employer. However, the decision will not be totally in the favor of the union but the laborers will be better off through bargaining. Usually, the issues put forward by the union leadership include higher wagers, better working conditions, fringe benefits, safety at work, promotion policies and policies for firing the employees. The trade unions received a lot of popularity in the 18th century after originating from Europe as a hope for the employees. It started developing after the industrial revolution. The initial was to make the laborers better off but this quickly changed as trade unions started developing for professional employees and for skilled employees. The unions usually call for a strike when their demands are not met by the employers. "Trade Unions Towards the 21st Century ; European Trade Union Institute." Transfer : European Review of Labour and Research. 3.3 (1997): 464-605. Print. Trade unions were initially required for the low skilled workers, however, the basic focus changed and it became a community for the people who are working in a similar company or in a similar field. While representing the different types of employees, the unions grew in numbers and the movement started in several different countries. The old rules applied to the older trade unions and the 21st century changed the entire foundation for the unions. Even though there are several unions still available for professional skilled employees and for unskilled laborers, the old policies don’t apply the new era. The industrialization age has been long gone and today, a different set of rules apply for both, the employers and for the employees.. The challenges in the 21st century and where the trade unions currently lie The main thing that needs to be understood is that there in the current era, businesses and employers no longer come under the same old strategies by the unions. They need to lower their costs and they will do so by keeping a low wage for the employees. The unions, today, have a relatively less power in negotiating against the employers. As the number of members decreases, the unions’ power to bargain falls with it. They no longer have the potential to face the employees for the interest of the

Is Concept Of Social Science Inherently Utopian Essay

Is Concept Of Social Science Inherently Utopian - Essay Example UTOPIAN APPROACH TO SOCIAL SCIENCES Deductive: The Philosophy to Social Sciences is an a Priori or Deductive method, which moves from the general to the particular, aiming at speculation and laying down what ought to be. Abstract: It is more often than not, characterised by abstract thinking and a more ideal setting; wherein the pragmatic perspective if steered cleared of, and a more idealistic set-up is conjured and pictured as the desired end. Universal Principles: The philosophy to the social sciences relies heavily on general universal principles, and does not move from the conventional notion of what should be the end and the means to achieve the end. It takes for granted, the truth of the conventional thinking pattern. Methodology: A scholar engages himself in laborious theorising and abstract thinking, to explain the nature of social sciences from a philosophical perspective, which is again based on excogitated principles. Ends: The purposes and ends of the state and other social sciences are drawn up from an ethical and philosophical perspective, rather than from an pragmatic or practical perspective. This summarizes the manner in which philosophical approach to the social sciences is formulated. ... y to the social sciences relies heavily on general universal principles, and does not move from the conventional notion of what should be the end and the means to achieve the end. It takes for granted, the truth of the conventional thinking pattern. Methodology: A scholar engages himself in laborious theorising and abstract thinking, to explain the nature of social sciences from a philosophical perspective, which is again based on excogitated principles. Ends: The purposes and ends of the state and other social sciences are drawn up from an ethical and philosophical perspective, rather than from an pragmatic or practical perspective. This summarizes the manner in which philosophical approach to the social sciences is formulated. PROS AND CONS OF THE APPROACH: THE POSITIVES Perceiving the social sciences from the utopian perspective helps in evolving great principles for whose realization, the state and the social bodies are meant to exist and function towards. This also is a eye-opener to the fact that the social scientist should not get lost in the world of mere facts and experiments, and must look towards the realization of the larger good of the society. It has been asserted time and again, by great social thinkers, that the primary purpose of social sciences is to envisage and work towards 'what ought to be'. THE NEGATIVES The approach also does have some drawbacks, mostly because it is impractical and too lofty to be carried out by bringing about a consensus in the entire society. This is inclusive of the

Political science (political analysis) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Political science (political analysis) - Essay Example The term 'globalisation' is commonly shorthand for 'globalising processes'. Privileging the verb rather than the noun form is a significant tactical move since we do not wish to convey the intuition that we comprehend globalisation in reified and simply naturalistic ways. In Power: A Radical View Lukes define power rhetorically: "is it not the supreme and most insidious exercise of power to prevent people, to whatever degree, from having grievances by shaping their perceptions, cognitions and preferences in such a way that they accept their role in the existing order of things " (1974: 24). Steven Lukes and William Connolly argued that the exercise of power must be, to some meaningful degree, the product of choice, because a normatively compelling definition must preserve the relation between power and responsibility. According to Lukes: The reason why identifying [the exercise of power] involves the assumption that the exerciser(s) could have acted differently - and, where they are unaware of the consequences of their action or inaction, that they could have ascertained these - is that an attribution of power is at the same time an attribution of (partial or total) responsibility for certain consequences. (Lukes; 1974: 55-6) Lukes' dimensions of power evidence points to the misrecognition of real interests by the majority of state actors on a global scale. Thus within globalisation, generic agency has increased its tendential character towards dominant agency-and this means that the prospects for radical agency within a global civil society are more limited and co-opted than before. Arendt define power as " Power --is actually the reality behind the use of violence". She holds that political theory needs to adopt such a new sense of power in order to achieve an adequate understanding of the nature of political rule. Many of the characteristics of globalisation are determined by the structural power that is the development of technology particularly computers and electronic communication. On power, Lukes concludes that there are various answers, all deeply familiar, which respond to our interests in both the outcomes and the structure of power. Perhaps this explains why, in our ordinary unreflective judgments and comparisons of structural power, we normally know what we mean and have little difficulty in understanding one another, yet every attempt at a single general answer to the question has failed and seems likely to fail. (1986, 17) Structural power inferred from the structures of the national level to international level. Each national industry of a country's moving to the forces of globalization and offers ready indicators of its degree of integration into the global world economy. Future developments in technology are likely to increase this tendency rather than otherwise. So, power is moving from a national to international level as the process of internationalization is just a case of developing that has characterized most of human history, the continuous expansion from the local. Both globalisation and internationalizat

Labour market Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Labour market - Essay Example Labour market flexibility refers to the ability and the willingness of labour to respond to changes in the market condition, including changes in the demand for work force and the wage rate. The labour market flexibility is an imperative aspect of how labour markets adjusts to supply and demand, it is therefore has a key role to the supply side of the macroeconomics. A flexible labour market is when firms are under fewer regulations concerning the labour force and therefore, can set their own wages, change their work hours and fire employees (Michie & Sheehan 2003, P.131). In contrast, a labour market with low flexibility is bound by some rules and regulations such as requirements from trade unions and minimum wage restrictions. It is good to note that, labour market institutions were seen to block the clear functions of the market by weakening the demand for work force, thus making it not attractive to hire workers by pushing up the wage or by distorting the labour supply, leading t o impairing the equilibrium of market function mechanism (Benner 2003, P.629). The most distinction of labour market flexibility is based on strategies companies use, and they can be grouped into four: External numerical flexibility, it refers to the number of workers from the external market or the adjustments of labour intake. It can be achieved by employing workers temporarily or on fixed contracts, therefore, the employer can hire and fire employees according to the company’s needs, by following the protection legislation. Internal numerical flexibility, it is achieved by adjusting schedules or working hours of workers employed in the firm. It includes part time, overtime and shifts. Functional flexibility, it is where the employees can be transferred to different tasks within the company, it mostly deals with organization of operations in a firm. Financial flexibility, it is where there are differences

Culinary Class - Bocuse d'Or USA Movie Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Culinary Class - Bocuse d'Or USA - Movie Review Example For instance, the chefs had to shop and make different recipes within a provided amount of time. In this case, it was impressive to see the chefs prepare three different meals under pressure and still maintain the time set. The chefs portrayed a high level of professionalism. This is due to the fact that they work under constant supervision and there was no time they failed to prepare a successful meal. They not only cook with enthusiasm but also make sure that all their meals look impressive and scrumptious. In my opinion, the chefs are well trained and have a passion for their work. It was intriguing to see young people working hard to master the art of cooking and also be recognized for it. This inspires as a young person to be more aggressive towards what I love and want for myself in the future. Additionally, I was inspired to see that people are proud of their cultures and the different foods they eat. In conclusion, I did not have a chance to attend the competitions but I have heard of it before. I would be honored to attend one of these competitions in the

Detailed analysis of a chosen photograph Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Detailed analysis of a chosen photograph - Essay Example The photographer is sharing the piece of his perceptional reality with the audience. The ship in the middle of the river is always journeying towards the home. Formal Elements: The picture â€Å"Rowing Home the Schoof-stuff† is an attempt of Peter Henry Emerson to widen the human vision with the depiction of a sole human existence in the wider scope of a scene (depicting the long life of a laborer). Emerson used selective focus to intensify the idea of weariness and loneliness of a laborer on his way home. The use of platinum printing is to fade away any bright toning and to add a more infused mood to create an impressionistic image. The image, like many other images following naturalism rules, did not use light, posturing and pretension. The concepts of retouching and the scientific elements that forego naturalist ideals of a scene are not used. The picture is innovative in creating and promoting impressionistic vision to be identified and followed by successors of Peterson. Historical Analysis The picture is taken by Emerson in 1886 as a part of his naturalist photography. Emerson was known as the leader of the Photographic Naturalistic movement. His idea was to present photographs in their originality without reducing the legitimacy of any image using the scientific techniques of blurring a tone, increasing the light or over-emphasizing on some aspects by clever tools rather than artistic focus. He believed in using the camera as a tool of capturing the details and was against the fragmentation of the natural scenes scientifically. The picture under consideration is a strong evidence of how naturalist movement believed photography to be. The picture is not fragmented or faked but rather used camera focus to omit or include details as required. The wider, calm and human-less background automatically turn the focus of the viewer to the laborer heading back. The wider scope of the picture is to show the extent of a laborer’s long and lone journey. Peterson, indeed, captured this image with an idea of showing the wider background without any being interrupting to the exposure of loneliness and tiresome journey of the laborer. Social and Artistic Analysis The image of a ship that is sailing in the sea is indeed an attempt to shed some light on the nature of lives that naval professionals opt. The humanistic approach towards an existence of a soldier is a unique one and provides a great deal of insights in soldier’s life. The embedded message in the image communicates the need of caution for those who have their families in the grasp. The people are strongly recommended to hold on to their loved ones while they can because whether or not one like the assumption of death. The death has the profound power to take one’s closed ones in a blink of an eye. The black and white context of the picture conveys hopelessness and depression of the crew that is looking to get home while; their distance from their loved ones is effectively communicated with the help of black and white color scheme of the picture. Additionally, the featured image captured a ship that is looking at dusk that its crew has to spend away from their families and friends. The human need to long for the closed ones is prominently evident in the image (Gidley 1994). The ships are customarily expected to throw the dead ones that meet their demise during the journey. The crewmen are aware of that fact and therefore, feared by the probability of death that might cause them to die away from the family. All of the humans