Leanpub Serial and Continuous Publishing, by Len Epp

Leanpub Serial and Continuous Publishing, by Len Epp Serial and continuous publishing, an interview with Len Epp of Leanpub Last updated: 07/31/2017Serial publishing is not new. Many of Dickens books were published serially. This and Eric Ries' Lean Startup approach is what drove co-founders Len Epp, Peter Armstrong and Scott Patten to create Leanpub. This fascinating (and successful) startup has built  a lean publishing model where you "publish early, publish often" in order to build an audience.Our co-founder and CEO Emmanuel decided to have a chat with their co-founder Len Epp. Press "play" below if you want to hear a passionate discussion about publishing, Dickens, serializing, book marketing, and new forms of writing. Basically, they're imagining the future of publishing, and their vision might be quite accurate. Alternatively, we have supplied, as always, the transcript right below! Welcome to a new Reedsy podcast. So today I'm very happy to talk with Len Epp, Lead Customer Development and Co-Founder of Leanpub. So well Sir, good morning or good afternoon - depending on wherever you are. Yes, it’s morning here on the West Coast of America.Yeah, it's evening now in London, so dark! So I'm pretty excited to have you today. I've been a big Leanpub fan for a while actually and think the model is super interesting. You guys created a concept where authors can continuously publish their books – and even if they’ve only written the first chapters, people can already buy it. We also decided to do this interview to announce that Reedsy and Leanpub will start working together to help Leanpub users create beautiful covers for their books - since it's one of the main things to discover books on Leanpub. So just for our listeners, who may not know about Leanpub, can you tell us a bit about yourself, and then about the vision for the company and the team? So Leanpub has 3 co-founders - Peter Armstrong, Scott Patten and myself. Peter and Scott actually had the idea back in 2010, when Peter had written a programming book.He’d realized that he didn't want to wait until the book was completed before he started getting it out to readers. And there were a number of reasons for that, one of which was motivation and another one was community copy editing. And so he creatively added a link to a special chat room that you could access if you bought the book. He built this community of avid followers of his computer program – they would help him if they found errors and make suggestions. And it was a feedback loop of motivation. People were asking for the next chapters, and he wanted to give it to them - and that worked really well.So how would it work for fiction? Isn’t it harder to work with your readers to release new chapters based on their feedback?Fiction is a really interesting application. Serial fiction is a really old idea. Many of Dickens books were published serially: "The Brothers Karamazov", "Crime and Punishment", "'War and Peace", and "Middlemarch" all started out being published serially. And serial publishing was more or less the norm. "Many of Dickens books were published serially: serial publishing was more or less the norm." @leanpub That opens up really interesting ideas. For example, a novel is not a book, right? Like we say, "I wrote the book", but you actually wrote a text. It's only a book if it's published in that particular format. For example, if I had all of the copies of all the magazines in which one of Mary Elizabeth Braden’s novels were published, I've got the novel but I don't have the book. I also have the pamphlets that â€Å"Middlemarch† was published as: I don't have a book, but I have a novel. So Leanpub enables serial publishing so you would publish chapters as separate books serially.Now, I think what you're getting at, which is really good, is the idea of â€Å"in-progress publishing†, which is different from serial publishing (serial publishing is publishing finished works in serial).Exactly.I think the only person working on a novel that way is me. But that's kind of like performance art in a way, right? I think most people would find it frustrating to read the first c hapter of a novel and have the author go, "I changed it."You came up with that continuous publishing concept and now you're coming up with this idea: a book is only a book if you decide to make your text a book. But in fact maybe people don't want to read a book, they want to read a series of novels or something that's constantly evolving.I’d like to come back to the fact that Leanpub is mainly for technical writers at the moment. And for it to work well, you've integrated Leanpub with many services such as GitHub, Dropbox and a few others. What's the proportion of the authors using them and how does it change the way they write their books?Most of our authors use Dropbox, fewer use GitHub. We've got an option on Leanpub to download what you've been working in the e-pub, PDF or mobi formats - or all 3 if you want.All authors say that working with Dropbox is kind of magic because when you're working through Dropbox, you've got a file on your computer, and you just press "save" when want to. And you work on whatever text editor you like. And then, because you're sharing that file with Leanpub through Dropbox, when you want to publish a new version - you just go to Leanpub and hit the publish button, and it's done! There's no emailing back and forth, nothing. It just takes away a huge amount of complication from the conventional process.You have also built the Leanpub editor where authors write using Markdown. How popular is it?For anyone who isn't familiar with Markdown, Markdown is a mark-up language or syntax that was developed to make it easier to write webpages. And so Leanpub books are written in what we call â€Å"Leanpub flavored Markdown†, which is essentially plain text: you don't see the bold thing turn bold in the text that you're writing - any more than you would if you were writing on a typewriter, and it's very very simple.And do you think this tool could be adopted more broadly, outside of the tech community?I do, but I know from exp erience that for a lot of people, as soon as you tell them they have to learn something new and you use a technical word they're not exactly running to the hills. But the analogy for that is the typewriter, right? When the typewriter came out, you had to buy and object and learn how to use it, which was time-consuming.I think that people are going to learn Markdown, in the same way that they learned to use the typewriter. The 5 minutes it will take you to learn this new way of typing out books is way better. It will catch on. It will become a convention. People will understand that it's better but it's going to take time. "People are going to learn Markdown, in the same way that they learned to use the typewriter." @leanpub So let's say, so I've written my manuscript and I'm publishing it with Leanpub, now what happens?You would create a landing page for your book with information like â€Å"about the book†, â€Å"about the author†, maybe a bit of a teaser and then you would hit one button: "publish". If you've used our writing workflow, from one source text you get all those ePub, PDF and mobi versions magically created, then your book is up for sale on Leanpub.You can also set up variable pricing: you set a minimum and a suggested price for your book and as soon as you hit "publish" it's available for sale at those prices. Readers will see a slider at the suggested price, but they can slide it down to the minimum price that you've set, or they can slide it up and pay more.Since Leanpub pays such a high royalty rate compared to other publishing platforms, 90% minus 50 cents per sale, how much we pay authors is a feature. So underneath the slider that shows how much you pay, it shows how m uch the author is getting. This is why we'd see people paying strange prices like $11.67 and we'd be like. In fact, that corresponds to $10 to the author. So they were taking the author slider, "How much do I want to give the author for this book?" 10 bucks.So this variable pricing totally changes the relationship with readers: if you go into a conventional bookstore, you're automatically in consumer mode, "I want to pay as little as I can for as much as I can get." "If you go into a conventional bookstore, you're automatically in consumer mode." @leanpub But with Leanpub and with variable pricing, because it gives you a choice, all of a sudden you're making a decision about how much you can afford to pay and how much you think it's worth. "With Leanpub and variable pricing, you make a decision about how much you think a book is worth." @leanpub There are tons of people setting up a crowdfunding campaign for their publishing projects. And they're like, "Okay, I'm going to raise some money so that I can keep on writing my book, and then produce it at some point." What you're doing with Leanpub is you say, "Okay, I'm going to write the first chapter and I'm going to find readers who are really interested in what I'm writing and start making money out of my book so I can potentially invest more for the coming chapters." Do you feel like crowdfunding for books should work this way, and not the way Kickstarter works - where you wait for months before you can actually read the book?I would say that when it comes to writing, for most projects, the best thing to do is to make a little bit first and get it out there, and see if you are getting attention before you ask people to start giving you money for it.At Leanpub there's a page where you can ask people if they'd be interested in reading a book if you wrote it. It's possible at s ome point we'll do pre-sales, because pre-sales are becoming quite big in publishing land. Personally, I don't think I would want to personally give a writer an advance on a book they hadn't started writing yet though.My co-founder Ricardo has interviewed quite a few publishing startups and that concept of customer validation before you actually invest everything into your book keeps coming back.So let’s say I've decided to put my book out there on Leanpub, then what happens? How do you help authors find their readers?We’ve got a bookstore that has various categories, sellers. But mostly, right now, it's up to Leanpub authors to go outside the Leanpub ecosystem. It's up to them to bring readers.So how many books have been published through Leanpub so far?Nearly 2,000 authors, and we've had nearly 3,000 books published.You talked about that mailing list that authors can build on Leanpub. Is it mainly for people coming from the Leanpub community, or just anyone coming to the book’s page and thinking, "I'm interested, I'm going to sign up." And then, the author can use this mailing list the way they want?The way the mailing list works is that if you express interest in a book that hasn't been published, you can subscribe to get notified when it gets published. You choose whether or not you want to share your email address with the author. If you do, we have integration with MailChimp.So let's talk about when the book is ready. Peter, your co-founder was telling me about Leanpub authors who were looking to get a finished product to distribute on different ebookstores or even a physical version of their book. And that’s why there is now a referral program in place for Leanpub authors who can get a Reedsy coupon of $20 towards editing or design services on Reedsy. Awesome. It's really exciting. We've had our most successful Leanpub authors make a print version and also try other channels like putting their book up on Amazon or the iBookst ore.People say "don't judge a book by its cover". In the 20th century romantic modernism, the publishing house made the cover with very little input given to the author. So my joke is that you can't judge a book by its cover†¦ if a traditional publisher publishes it. Traditional publishers have this whole apparatus for selling that has nothing to do with writing. "  You can't judge a book by its cover†¦ if a traditional publisher publishes it." @leanpub But with a self-published book you can often judge a book by its cover: if the author took the time and care and chose a good designer to make a good cover, it means that they probably wrote a good book too. Having a cover that shows care is profoundly important. "Traditional publishers have this whole apparatus for selling that has nothing to do with writing." @leanpub It's also a form of art. There’s a deep relation between that cover and what you've been writing. It's going to be interesting in the coming months to see if there are great covers coming from this collaboration. I look forward to it. So thanks a lot I think that was really interesting for our readers to learn more about Leanpub.Okay, thanks very much and I look forward to interviewing you next week for the Leanpub podcast!Follow Leanpub and Reedsy on Twitter:  @leanpub  and  @ReedsyHQWhat do you think of Leanpub's publishing model? Would you be ready publish early in order to build an audience? Leave us your thoughts, or any questions for Len, in the comments below!

Should I Apply Early Decision Expert Guide

Should I Apply Early Decision Expert Guide SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Do you just want to be done with the application process and know where you're going to college? Do you have your heart set on one college, and you want to give yourself the best chance at getting in? If you answered yes to these questions, early decision may be a good option for you. In this article, I'll explain what it means to apply for early decision and explain everything you need to consider to answer the often stressful question, "should I apply early decision?" What Is Early Decision? Early decision is an early application policy used by a number of different colleges. If you apply to a college under early decision, you’ll usually apply earlier than the regular admission deadline and find out earlier if you’ve been accepted. For most colleges with early decision, the ED deadline is November 1, and you’ll be notified by mid-December, whereas you’d be notified in late March or early April under regular decision. Under early decision, you can be accepted, rejected, or deferred to the regular applicant pool. Unlike early action, if you apply and get accepted under early decision, you’re making a binding agreement to attend that school. You can only apply to one school under early decision, and if you get accepted, you have to withdraw your applications to any other colleges. If you break the agreement to attend, you won't have legal action taken against you, but it's likely that the other colleges you apply to will be notified that you broke your agreement, and your acceptances may be rescinded. Your high school will also be contacted, and future applicants from your school may be penalized. Generally, the only acceptable reason to turn down an early decision offer is if you don't get enough financial aid. There are a few colleges that offer two early decision application deadlines, known as Early Decision I and Early Decision II. Early Decision I has a typical early decision application deadline in November, and the application deadline under Early Decision II is in January. If you apply under Early Decision II, you’ll probably hear back in February. Some schools that offer early decision include Duke, Cornell, Brown, Northwestern, and Amherst. Colleges that offer Early Decision I and II include Pomona, Vanderbilt, Tufts, Syracuse, and Emory. Pete Jelliffe/Flickr The Benefits of Applying Early Decision One of the biggest potential benefits of early decision is being done with the college application and selection process as soon as possible. Applying to colleges, waiting to hear back about admissions decisions, and deciding which college to attend can cause tremendous stress for many students and their parents. If you apply early decision, you can know where you’re going to college before most of your peers are even done completing their applications. For the rest of your senior year, you can focus on school, your extracurriculars, and having fun. Also, you can potentially save time and money by not having to apply to more colleges. You should still prepare to apply to more colleges in the event you're not accepted or if you're considering applying to schools that have a regular application deadline before you're notified of admissions decisions under early decision. Additionally, for many colleges, you may increase your chances of gaining admission if you apply under early decision. Most colleges that offer early decision have a significantly higher acceptance rate for early decision applicants. In 2015, Brown admitted 20.6% of its early decision applicants and only 7.5% of its regular decision applicants. Cornell accepted 39% of its early decision applicants and 16.1% of its regular applicants. While early decision applicants tend to be more qualified, that doesn’t account for the entire difference in acceptance rates. Colleges like to admit a large percentage of their incoming classes via early decision to have more control over the composition of their freshman classes, and early decision admits increase a school’s yield, the percentage of admitted students who choose to attend. A better yield improves a school's image and ranking. The Disadvantages of Applying Early Decision The biggest disadvantage of applying early decision is that you have to commit to attending a college before you may be ready to make that commitment. Typically, students are still researching colleges in the fall of their senior year, and many of the students with whom I’ve worked have changed their college preferences multiple times before eventually deciding in the spring. Even if you think you know where you want to go to college before the application process begins, if you apply early decision, you may not give yourself the opportunity to change your mind. Another substantial disadvantage of early decision is that it doesn’t allow you to compare financial aid packages and factor them into your college decision. For students who rely on financial aid to attend college, this can be a significant disadvantage. Even though you can get a general estimate of how much a school will cost you before you apply, you won’t get your official financial aid offer until after you’re offered admission. However, colleges will let you out of your commitment to attend if they can’t meet your financial need. By that point, though, regular application deadlines may have passed or you may not have adequately researched your other college options. Finally, if you apply early at the end of November, you may have to apply before you’re able to sufficiently improve your test scores or GPA. If you apply early decision, colleges will review your standardized test scores and transcript before the end of the first semester of your senior year. Many students are able to strengthen their applications by raising their standardized test scores in December or getting exceptional first semester senior year grades. When Should IApply Early Decision? 3 Key Factors Early decision can be a good option for you, but only under the following circumstances: You’ve done thorough college research and you’re certain about your number one choice. You can use college finders, search websites, guidebooks, ranking lists, and visits to learn more about your college options and solidify your choice. You should have done ample research and be confident in your choice by the start of your senior year. You're satisfied with your grades and test scores. If you’re applying early decision, you should have a good SAT or ACT score. It may be to your advantage to wait to apply if you need to improve your standardized test scores or if you have subpar grades for your dream school and would like to show you’re capable of getting better grades. However, if you’re in this situation, you can still apply under Early Decision II, if that’s an option at your #1 choice. You’re confident that the school you’re applying to can meet your financial need. Because you won’t be able to compare financial aid packages if you’re accepted under early decision, you should feel secure that the school you’re applying to will offer you the financial aid you need to attend. You can contact the admissions or financial aid office to ease your concerns, and you can use a site like College Scorecard to get a solid estimate of how much you’ll have to pay. How Do You Apply Early Decision? If you've decided that you're definitely going to apply to a college via early decision, you may be wondering exactly how to do it. Is there a special application to fill out? What should you do about researching and applying to other colleges? The process for applying for early decision is relatively straightforward. You'll submit the same application, but you'll indicate on your application that you're applying for early decision. Before you apply, I recommend having a list of other schools to apply to. While you're waiting to hear back from the school, you should work on your other applications and submit any applications that have a deadline before you're notified about the status of your early decision application. If you're accepted under early decision, you'll withdraw any applications you submitted. If you're rejected or deferred, you can complete any applications that you haven't finished, and when you hear back from schools in the spring, you'll weigh your options and choose a college. What's Next? Is your goal to get into one of the most selective colleges? Learn how from a Harvard graduate. Are you working on making your list of colleges to apply to? Find out about reach schools, target schools, safety schools, and how many schools you should apply to. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points?We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

Protest in America Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Protest in America - Term Paper Example Over the time period, the influence and the scope of the American pop culture on other countries has been spreading greatly. The categorization and classification of elements under Pop culture are very vast. Generally Pop Culture is referred to as the â€Å"mass culture† or a â€Å"common culture† and typically includes the lifestyle of the western society, their customs and norms, food and entertainment, advertising, technology, religion, attitudes etc. all these also makeup the American pop culture (Osborn) The culture of a society develops over a course of time; similar has been the case of the American pop culture. In the earlier days man used different means to communicate, share, eat and live a life. They used drawings, to document their life styles and methods of hunting, clothing travel etc. In the later stages the explorers and the settlers brought about new means of communication and documentation with them, then came the age of paper and pen, documenting in a language of words and writings making English the new language for the world. With the passage of time growing human needs, influenced the practices and led to new attitudes and development of cultural norms and practices. Hence, the inclusion of various classifications of a culture kept adding to the American pop culture with the passage of time. ... spread of the American culture is very beautifully portrayed by Sara Quay as: â€Å"One of the most challenging aspects of western life was the maintenance of law and order in a land where population surged before formal systems of justice were fully in place. As gold seekers, land rushers, and other emigrants traveled quickly to the West, crime, theft, and other dangers to life and property traveled with them. Main-street shoot-outs, train robberies, Indian attacks, and bar brawls were among the most familiar western scenes, and they have provided popular culture with enduring images of the risks involved in western life. From this era evolved once again new ideas on clothing, music, dance, entertainment, advertising, food and the preparation of it, hunting, hierarchy, means of documentation, education, methods of communication, transportation, body image, medicines, attitudes government and religion† (Quay). After the World War II, America emerged as a powerful state in view of the other countries and was seen as a country possessing leadership qualities. This was mainly because the European countries standing had deteriorated while American culture remained steady. According to the author Richard Pell, it was not the people of the European nations like France that feared American invasion rather it was the government officials, intellectuals and the people from the elite class that opposed this spread of the American pop culture. The European elite blamed the American film industry for cornering the international film market (Pells). The massive increase in the American pop culture was witnessed in the twentieth century. This increase in the influence of the American culture can be attributed to the technological advancements during this period in the form of

Compare ICD-9 to ICD-10 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Compare ICD-9 to ICD-10 - Assignment Example There are instances where new codes have been allocated to different chapters, a factor that hinders location of all available codes. In contrast, the new edition is arranged in such a manner that character length is increased, which highly extends the quantity of available codes (Lazakidou, 2006). Its structure, flexibility, and capacity are up-to-date to capture the medical experience and technological advances. The content conveyed by the two codes is dissimilar. ICD-9 codes contain at least 3-5 digits that begin with either a letter or a number. ICD-10 codes comprise of seven digits. Some similarities can be identified in the two systems. Their organization tends to match, where both use a decimal after three characters. This means that anyone who is able to code ICD-9-CM qualifies to make a transition coding to ICD-10-CM. According to Lazakidou, the rules, conventions, and guidelines are also alike. The first three digits match with the ICD-9 code, with the third digit being followed by a decimal point. However, the digits after the decimal have a particular meaning. For instance, in surgical and medical guidelines, the digits that come later are specific to a surgical approach, body part, and other requirements for billing. Correspondingly, the ICD-10 codes follow suit with seven digits to represent diagnosis codes. The transition procedure from ICD-9 to ICD-10 will entail a conversion based on a forward and backward GEMs map offered by the CMS. There will be a process with one cluster being converted at a time to safeguard the clinical aim of the classification. Alternatively, codes may be transited through using consistent probability distribution, and the converted data be audited to validate the process (Lazakidou, 2006). ICD-9 and ICD-10 differ in sequencing, depending on the circumstances surrounding the encounter. For instance, it is notable that ICD-10 sequencing instructions for anemia

Societies and cultures Essay Example for Free

Societies and cultures Essay Societies and cultures in olden times used to live in isolation as means of transport were very slow. Men either travelled from one place to another on foot or animals like horses and camels were used. Cultural exchange used to take place when the invaders overran a country or traders came. The process of Globalization has been initiated by faster means of travel sophisticated technological advancement in communication like media and the internet boom. It has made information available to an individual at the click of a button . There is lot of foreign investment which entails creation of job opportunities. As a result economic prosperity and ideas of the developed nations are being incorporated in the societies of these countries. a kind of cultural exchange is taking place as trade and commerce is flourishing. Multinational companies are bringing western ideas to the developing nations. The term globalization was almost a nonentity before1990 ((Lewellen, 2002, p. 7) It is catch phrase of the contemporary society. According to Stanley Barrett â€Å"Human society is in the process of being transformed to a degree possibly not seen since the Industrial Revolution. The process can be summed up by the term globalization. † (Stanley Barrett 1999:258). The result of these interactions is asocial change in different cultures. Family is a basic unit of society in any culture. It is an institution which stands for cohesion solidarity, social order and continuity. The challenges faced by this building block of society is very important as A contrasting study of the families of the developed country like America and a developing country like India is going to elucidate the changes that are being brought about by globalization. The Family unit in U. S has undergone a lot of transformation some of the indicators can be the number of children living with both the parents in 1963 was 91% and it declined to 73% in 1997. (Waite Nielsen, 2001, p. 25) The formation of family revolves traditionally around marriage . The age at which the first marriage is taking place has steadily increased . In 1950s the young women married at the age of 20 but it has increased to 28 yrs as women are more and more getting career oriented. Late marriages are also responsible for decrease in fertility rate. The population decline has many factors but it is one of the major reasons of decline. Single person household are accounted for 20% homes in case of males and 12% in case of females in United States in 1970. The striking similarity between both the countries is that they single family is by and large headed by women . There are other factors which are responsible for the decline of the family in America. It is very interesting that though the age at which first marriages are taking place has increased to an average of 28 years in case of females but the age at first incidence of premarital sex has declined. It has become and accepted behavior by the society . it is no more considered an abnormal behavior. United States is among the leading countries as far as pregnancies out of wedlock are concerned. India is as far as premarital sex is concerned quite conservatives . The exact figures of Premarital sexual encounter is largely undocumented as there is a stigma attached to it. Although it can be quite reliably said that a kind of sexual liberalism is in the making . The acceptance and the prevalence of Valentines day is indicator of the acceptance of these ideas Till the till the 1990 s it was an enigma but now every town and city is reverberating to these ideas . It would be wrong to say that promiscuity was not an acceptable social practice . Especially the Hindu culture is full of the examples of the sexual liberalism. In fact it is the reason why the western concept of cohabitation and sexual freedom gained so much popularity. Various forms of family are there in United States like the extended family, the single-parent family, the â€Å"blended family† (where previously married spouses with children remarry), and the â€Å"part-time-parent† family (where a parent is only with the rest of the family for weekends). Changes in the structure of the family is severely effect the health and well being of children The divorce rate is very high in American society . More than half of the marriages end up getting divorced and it has been studied that children of such households have more likelihood of cohabiting and premarital sex which can result in pregnancies (Le Bourdais et al1998) Children in single parents family have lower academic excellence both at high school and university level. Marriage is a precursor to the formation of the family. It is very sacred institution in which there is no escape. The Indian society is primarily a patriarchal society and male members are the bread winners and the bearer of authority. Women’s role at the best can seen as complementary she is considered as an ardhangini or the other half. The economic independence and the transportation of the Ideas of equality coupled with the emphasis on the material wellbeing have resulted in the acceptance of the women working outside the precincts of their homes. There is consistent increase in the incidence of the family of nuclear family and the reasons of this rise is urbanization, industrialization, globalization and decrease in the fertility rates since 1961 (Niranjan, Nair Roy, 2005) The southern India which has lower fertility rates have seen a shrinking the family size . The size of he family dependent on the economic status as upper class have lesser tendency to form a nuclear family . it is independent of the caste and religion. Class is a predominant aspect of most of the nation states. The major distinction between the haves and the have not is of relevance to most societies . The class system in the Indian society is very rigid as those who are born in a particular class can not move up the hierarchy come what they may do. The Varna system is a social system was based on skills and qualification . Asocial change was seen as a result of the modernization and interaction with the west in the form of the colonial occupation. Since the middle class is the most representative of the society of any country . Therefore it has been taken as indicator of the change . The organization or the structure of the family remains the same irrespective of the class distinction. The social class in the American society is strictly on the basis of the economic standing of the individuals . It is broad spectrum of society that can range from the Janitor to the manager. We are contrasting the effect of globalization on a middle class family of the developing country like India and the developed country like America. The middle class in India comprises of a mosaic of various culture and religion. Class does play an important role in the character and the speed of the changes that are occurring as a result of the globalization. In the present context class in the Indian society is being defined more by the economic status than by the social order of the olden times which owed its existence to the Vanaashramdharama. It is the economic compulsions which is resulting in the middle class families in India to move away from the traditional model of family to amore western concept There are certain similarities how these changes have been perceived in both the American and the Indian middle class like the acceptance of the role of women in the mainstream has been gradual. There are differences between the middle class of the two countries . India is by far more conservative as far as the role of women in society is concerned . Household duties is still the pejorative of the women . She is doubly burdened as she has keep the hearth as well as earn to enhance the material wellbeing of her family members THE IMPACT OF ECONOMIC CIRCUMSTANCE Globalization is seen by many as an economic phenomenon as there is an influx of capital in the national economy. There is an immense interaction of the local economy with the international market. The economic changes that are taking place as a result of globalization are having an impact on the family structure of the developing countries like India . We are seeing a shift from the joint family system to the nuclear family structure. Many factors contributed to the disintegration of the joint family. Multinational companies have captured the national economies and hence a lot of job opportunities have been created. Women are increasingly becoming economically independent . This is a step towards an empowerment of women but it doesn’t indicate that all sorts of gender bias that have traditionally been prevalent in the Indian family structure has been eradicated. Family structure provided a kind of social security net for the most vulnerable members of our society . The old and the infirm and kids enjoyed the security and safety of their homes. The multinational companies have entered the Indian market and are eroding the value system of the traditional societies. There is a prevalence of dual earners in the middle class as a result the moms are not performing their traditional roles of caregivers which were unpaid labor. However the increase in the income of the middle class family has lead to increase in the living standards of the average middle class family. These trends is result of globalization as the in the west working women is the norm of society. The economic independence of women was precursor to a higher divorce rate in the contemporary Indian society. Many women are opting out of abusive marriages as they are economically independent. Despite this fact the divorce rate in India is among the lowest. It stands at 1. 1%where as in America it is 54. 8% according to Wikipedia. The Indian society is in transition and divorce and remarriages are slowly gaining acceptability. It is difficult to get the exact figures of divorce rates because the divorces are filed at the local courts. The women seeking information on how to obtain a divorce through telephone helpline of The Delhi Commission for Women has increased from 20% to 2000% Traditionally marriages in the Indian society could not be annulled it was a sacrosanct relationship and there was no way of getting out of it. Liu is quoted by Science Daily said â€Å"Not only the United States, but also other countries, including developing countries such as China and places with strict religious policies regarding divorce, are having more divorced households, The family structure historically had a survival and welfare function . The member of a family like the women and the children were economically dependent on the male earning member for the fulfillment of their needs The Indian family system was primarily patriarchal . despite the fact that Indian family has various strains because of the different cultures and religion practiced One thing that I common is the fact that it is primarily a male centered unit . The call centre culture is a recent phenomena and the impact of it on the Indian society is by and large undocumented . The new found economic independence of the youth is disturbing the hierarchical structure of the family system. The parental authority is continuously diminishing as the offspring are becoming economically independent. There is shift from parental authority to Co-operation from obedience to exploration. It is a commonplace experience in the Family structure of The American society that the unmarried children who are above 18 years of age to go and live outside the family home . The new found economic independence can be seen as a precipitator of the same trend. The traditional role of women as caregivers has seen a paradigm shift as they are more and more employed and a shift towards smaller families have created a situation in which caring for the elderly and sick is becoming difficult . there is lot of geographic mobility and the lower fertility rates are contributing to the unavailability of persons that can act as care givers. There is an absence of social security net for the elderly consequently they are the worse hit There are no alternatives for them the old homes are either in bad shape or they are not available. In grave contrast to their American counterparts they are rich The old are a target of the advertizing agencies as they have a lot of spending power. The elderly population which can be used as a source of education and the influence of social class on families. Are there similarities in families of same social class in different culture? Whose influence is more culture or economics EFFECT OF GLOBALIZATION ON FAMILIES Globalization has brought the modern concept of individual freedom at the doorstep of the developing nations . The demand for the excellence of the individual creates a tension which not only felt by him but by the entire family . It is affecting the parent offspring relationship. The emphasis on material success has disturbed the proviso institution and it has created a problem for the aged and the week and the children who have lost a caregiver . Some of the positive aspect of Globalization is women emancipation and lowering of the fertility rate and poverty . These are problems that the developing nations are facing Globalization has decreased if not completely eradicated this problem. REFERENCES Hertz and Nancy L. Marshall UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA PRESS Berkeley  · Los Angeles  · London year 2001 Lewellen, 2002, p. 7The anthropology of globalization. SAHER MAHMOOD and SOMINI SENGUPTA As Mores Evolve, India’s Divorced Seek Second Chance. Retrieved March 30, 2008 from: http://www. nytimes. com/2008/02/14/world/asia/14remarry. html? _r=2ref=worldoref=sloginoref=slogin Waite Nielsen, 2001, p. 25. Working Families The Transformation of the American Home edited Rosanna

Permaculture: A New Way of Growing Essays -- Agriculture Farming Envir

Permaculture: A New Way of Growing Permaculture is a term created in 1978 by Bill Mollison and one of his students, David Holmgren. Bill Mollison is an Australian ecologist who combined the words "permanent" and "agriculture." Holmgren and he defined permaculture as: "An integrated, evolving system of perennial or self-perpetuating plant and animal species useful to man." (Holmgren xix).A newer definition of permaculture that Holmgren mentions in his book is "Consciously designed landscapes which mimic the patterns and relationships found in nature, while yielding an abundance of food, fiber, and energy for the provision of local needs." (Holmgren xix).Both definitions leave room for the evolution of the agricultural system. Conventional methods of agriculture deplete the land and its productivity over a period of time and remove beneficial interactions by excessive chemical dependence for pest control and fertilization. Employment of permacultural techniques, however, allows the farmer to not only grow healthy food, but also serve many other purposes at the same time: reduced chemical dependence as well as soil erosion while actually contributing to maintain productive, healthy soil to name only a few. Permaculture is about growing plants using the environment, and encouraging the restoration of balance in the environment. It is a technique that co-operates with the land and the environment, nurtures it to grow healthy food instead of abusing or forcing it to be productive. It aims to create an ecological system that is efficient, self-sustaining and productive, at the same time also in harmony with the environment. It can be used with either commercial agriculture or domestic agriculture. While the benefits of per... ...t to produce higher yields and using less chemical pesticides and herbicides, thus creating an increased profitability. The system is more stable due to the higher biodiversity, thus it is less susceptible to diseases. Permaculture is an economical concept because of increased profitability and productivity, and minimization of costs by reduction of chemical usage. Works Cited Hemenway, Toby. "A Toolbox, Not a Tool." Whole Earth 106 (2001)93-94. Holmgren, David. Permaculture: Principals and Pathways Beyond Sustainability. Holmgren Design Services: Hepburn, Australia, 2002. Janchitfah, Supara, and Vasana Chinkvarakorn. "Organic Matters." New Internationalist 323 (2000): 26-27. Sullivan, Dan. "On Your Turf." Organic Gardening 51 (2004): 11. Williams, Greg, Emily Polk, and Peter Warshall. "Permaculture: Hype or Hope?" Whole Earth 106 (2001): 90-92.

Persuasive Technology: Using Computers to Change What We Think and Do

REFERENCE AND CITATION FORMAT FOR THE COMMUNICATIONS OF THE ACM DR ANDY DONG The Association for Computing Machinery is the pre-eminent professional body dealing in all aspects of information technology. This is a style guide for their reference and citation format. Note that there are some slight stylistic differences between the format for the magazine Communications of the ACM (per the style in EndNote) and the ACM conference proceedings reference format (per the style in the ACM conference proceedings template). This document will describe the Communications of the ACM style.Windows 7 Check Your UnderstandingIn practice, adherence to a single, consistent style is satisfactory. References Section The References section appears at the end of the paper. All references appear alphabetically by the lead author’s last name and are numbered consecutively. A clear header should be used to indicate the start of the References. Example: References 1. Bless, H. The Interplay of Affec t and Cognition. in Forgas, J. P. ed. Feeling and Thinking: The Role of Affect in Social Cognition, Maison des Sciences de l'Homme and Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 2000, 201-222. . Garcia, A. C. B. and Howard, H. C. Acquiring design knowledge through design decision justification. Artificial Intelligence for Engineering Design, Analysis and Manufacturing, 6 (1). 59-71. Citation As you write your report, you will cite your references. A citation to a reference in the body of the text is indicated by a bracketed number corresponding to the reference number in the References section. Example: During high stress periods, individuals should focus on the situation-specific tasks rather than rely on general knowledge structures. 1] Reference Formats GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS A complete reference should contain the name(s) of the author(s) and/or editor(s), the title of the article, the name of the book or conference proceedings where appropriate, and bibliographic information about th e article such as the name of the publisher, the city of publication, and the page numbers. The basic concept is that the reference should be sufficiently complete so that the reader could readily find the reference and can judge the authority and objectivity of the reference.All author names appear as Lastname, Initials. For example, if Andy Dong is the primary author and Alice M. Agogino is the second author, the correct appearance of the author names would be: Dong, A. , and Agogino, A. M. THIS IS THE REFERENCE FORMAT FOR A BOOK. Authors. Title. Publisher, City of Publication, Year of Publication. Example: 1. Fogg, B. J. Persuasive technology: using computers to change what we think and do. Morgan Kaufmann Publishers, Boston, 2003. THIS IS THE REFERENCE STYLE FOR AN ARTICLE WHICH APPEARS IN AN EDITED BOOK. Authors. Title. n Editors Title of edited book, Publisher, City of Publication, Year of Publication, Pages. Example: 1. Fischer, G. and Nakakoji, K. Amplifying designersâ€℠¢ creativity with domain-oriented design environments. in Dartnall, T. ed. Artificial Intelligence and Creativity: An Interdisciplinary Approach, Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht, 1994, 343-364. THIS IS THE REFERENCE STYLE FOR A JOURNAL OR MAGAZINE ARTICLE. Authors. Title. Journal or magazine name, Volume (Issue), Pages. Example: 1. Hirsh, H. , Coen, M. H. , Mozer, M. C. , Hasha, R. and Flanagan, J.L. Room service, AI-style. IEEE intelligent systems, 14 (2). 8-19. THIS IS THE REFERENCE STYLE FOR A CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS. Authors, Title. in Title of conference, (Location of Conference, Year), Publisher, Pages. Example: 1. Leclercq, P. and Heylighen, A. 5,8 Analogies per hour: A designer's view on analogical reasoning. in 7th International Conference on Artificial Intelligence in Design, (Cambridge, UK, 2002), Kluwer Academic Publishers, 285-303. THIS IS THE REFERENCE STYLE FOR ELECTRONIC MEDIA (ARTICLES, IMAGES, ETC. ) RETRIEVED FROM THE WEB.FOLLOW THE REFERENCE FORMAT FOR A JOU RNAL ARTICLE AND THEN INCLUDE INFORMATION ABOUT THE WEB SITE AND THE DATE WHEN YOU RETRIEVED THE RESOURCE. NOTE THAT THE DATE OF PUBLICATION AND THE DATE OF RETRIEVAL OF THE ARTICLE MAY NOT BE THE SAME. WHEN THERE IS NO DETERMINATE DATE OF PUBLICATION, USE (N. D. ) IN THE DATE FIELD. WHERE POSSIBLE, INCLUDE THE NAME OF THE ORGANIZATION HOSTING THE WEB SITE. Examples: In the following example, the Cornell Chronicle is a regular newsletter which is published online. Thus, we follow the journal/magazine format and include the volume and issue.Steele, B. Look, Ma, no wires! Cornell class project tests wireless networking, Cornell Chronicle, 31 (35). Retrieved February 15, 2004, from Columbia University: http://www. news. cornell. edu/Chronicle/00/5. 18. 00/wireless_class. html. The following Web page has no evident author, but the â€Å"Revised date† in the footer gives us the date of publication. MIT Project Oxygen: Overview, 2004. Retrieved March 15, 2005, from Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology: http://oxygen. lcs. mit. edu/Overview. html.

Remembering Babylon

1. Significance of the two prefatory quotes: Malouf's choice in prefatory quotes at the beginning of Remembering Babylon are significant in revealing the way in which he wishes to establish the tone of the novel and allow for the reader to reach a place of greater psychological understanding so that they are able to make meaning of the text. In the first, â€Å"Whether this is Jerusalem or Babylon we know not†, taken from a poem by William Blake, Malouf is putting to the reader the question of whether Gemmy has reached a place where he can find redemption (Jerusalem) or entered a world of brutality and cruelty (Babylon). By putting forward this question, Malouf is inducing the readers to begin a more emotionally and ethically deep state while reading the novel, so that the ideas he is presenting are better understood and so that Malouf is able to take his readers to a more spiritually revealing level of consciousness. In Remembering Babylon Gemmy represents the unknown when he is firstly found by the Aboriginals, â€Å"What was it? A†¦creature of a kind they had never seen before†¦? A spirit†¦?†, and then again when he crosses the fence, the physical division between the Settler's and the Indigenous people, â€Å"†¦a human that†¦had been changed into a bird†¦.and now, neither one thing nor the other was hopping and flapping towards them out of a world over there†¦Ã¢â‚¬ . Readers can see that in both cases, Gemmy is a source of mystery and confusion; however it is the Aboriginal people who accept Gemmy and are willing to teach Gemmy their way of life, in contrast to his harsh and wary toleration by those in white society. This society is representative of Blake's ‘Babylon', a place of discord, confusion, enslavement and despair, whereas the Aboriginal tribe who takes Gemmy in holds a very distinct sense of tolerance, peace and love (Jerusalem). This sense of the Indigenous society being representative of Jerusalem is reinforced when, at the end of the novel, Gemmy seeks redemption with the Aboriginals after experiencing the brutality of the white society's Babylon, and returns to them in body, spirit and soul. It is therefore evident that this quote holds a significant amount of sway over the psychological level that the reader is on when beginning the novel, and therefore determines their interpretation of the ideas and meanings that Malouf conveys later in the novel. The second prefatory quote, â€Å"Strange shapes and void afflict the soul†¦.etc† is a poem written by John Clare which is used by Malouf as a comparison to the plot and main ideas presented in the novel in an attempt to prepare the reader mentally so that they are able to fully comprehend the text and take the appropriate meanings from it. In the poem, Clare presents a world in chaos with the â€Å"world on fire† where â€Å"smoke seas roll†. The first line of the poem, â€Å"Strange shapes and void afflict the soul† can be linked to the plot of Remembering Babylon where Gemmy and the Aboriginal people are considered to be the â€Å"strange shapes† who â€Å"afflict the soul† of the Settlers who fear them and the air of the unknown that accompany them. This could also be reversed, as the Indigenous people may also have viewed the white settler's as â€Å"strange shapes†, and this is supported by their reaction to their discovery of Gemmy when they assume he is â€Å"a spirit†¦come back from the dead†. â€Å"Shadow to the eye†, puts forward some of the key ideas in the novel, as it may be representative of the Aboriginals, who the settler's sometimes think of as â€Å"shadows† because of their fluid movements. The poem goes on to use apocalyptic type imagery which describes Australia's scorched landscape, â€Å"a world on fire†, and puts forward the idea that this place is a world of chaos and is morally devoid and barren. Clare uses other imagery to this effect, such as â€Å"Shall make sun dark and give no day†, which Malouf is able to use as a way of conveying the Absolute Dark, and the idea that there is a dark â€Å"thunder cloud† between the land and â€Å"Heaven† and the sun, in order to convey to the reader that there is no sunlight in this place, there is no happiness and there is no good; this is a place that God does not see. This quote therefore is also extremely significant in preparing the reader for the journey that they are embarking on whilst reading the novel and allowing them to be psychologically ready to understand Malouf's ideas concerning the Settler's and their treatment of the Aboriginal people, as well as Gemmy, as a result of their fear of that which is unknown to them. 2. Chapter titles in relation to theme Chapter 15 – Shards of my nightmares Chapter 16 – ‘Object' of my affection Chapter 17 – Playground rules Chapter 18 – Hope for a future all too far away Chapter 19 – Becoming clean Chapter 20 – Will you remember me? 3. â€Å"Gemmy is both symbol and character† Gemmy is a symbol in that he is a physical manifestation of everything that the white Settler's fear to become, whilst he is a character who the reader is able to watch evolve emotionally and spiritually throughout the text in order to reach an understanding of his own identity. As a symbol Gemmy is regarded as an object of fear and curiosity. He is proof, as the settler's see it, and a justification of their fears of the Aboriginal people, because of Gemmy's loss of his white heritage, of his civilisation, of â€Å"it†. Gemmy is also a beacon of equality in that if he is able to cross over between the two different societies, then, in essence, they surely cannot be that different from each other. Gemmy is representative of everything the settler's fear to become and as a result he is rejected and alienated in their society. As a character, Malouf uses Gemmy as a portal into both worlds; that of the Aboriginals and the world of the settlers, and because of this, readers are ab le to gain a deeper understanding of the novel. 4. Psychological profile of two significant characters: Janet McIvor is a character in Remembering Babylon whose position in society is constrained by her gender and who challenges society through her defiance of gender stereotypes. Her oppression manifests itself as a number of epiphanies which prove to be a catalyst for her mental and spiritual development throughout the novel. â€Å"†¦when the hard crust lifted, to discover†¦another skin, lustrous pearl†¦might have belonged to some other creature altogether†¦if all the rough skin of her present self crushed and came off , what would be revealed, shining in sunlight, was this finer being that had somehow been covered up in her.† Janet's longing to break free of the restraints that society has placed upon her becomes clear through these epiphanies, where the ‘creature' underneath(her true self) is far more extraordinary and exquisite than her outside shell – the mask that she is forced to wear. This shows that Janet is oppressed by the narrow minde d and Eurocentric views of the settlers. Through her epiphanies, Janet becomes closer to a higher power and therefore is able to see the world in clearer light and with more understanding, making her less prone to judgemental behaviour and prejudice over race. In the first moments that the reader is introduced to the character of Lachlan Beattie he is running wild with his imagination, â€Å"Cold air burned his nostrils, snow squeaked underfoot; the gin her carried†¦hung heavy on his arm.† This establishes psychological indications of the characteristics that he may possess as he develops. He shows arrogance as a key part of his personality and a need to be highly thought of by the adults and his peers, â€Å"For a moment back there, seeing himself as these grown-ups might see him, a mere kid†¦he felt a wave of anxiety at how shaky his power might be†. This need for power manifests itself in reality at the end of the novel when the reader sees that Lachlan has become a somewhat powerful politician. . 5. Significance of Mr Frazer's notebook In Remembering Babylon, Mr Frazer's notebook plays a crucial part in allowing Mr Frazer to act as Malouf's mouthpiece in conveying the idea of hybridity between the natives and the settlers, and in enabling readers to understand the purpose of the novel. The notebook allows for the expression of a post colonial attitude towards colonisation, where Malouf presents the concept that if the settlers were to stop exploiting the land and trying to make it habitable, they would see that it already was and could instead integrate themselves into the native society, â€Å"We have been wrong to see that†¦only by†¦sowing with the seeds we have brought with us, and by importing sheep, cattle, rabbits†¦can it be made habitable. It is habitable already.† With their â€Å"English eyes†, the first settlers only saw that they needed to shape Australia into a new England. Malouf is suggesting that colonisation fails if you attempt to make a country (England) on top of another country (Australia) and that they should stop looking for what they are expecting to see, and open their eyes to the wonders that Australia has to offer. It is this attitude, he suggests, that prevents the settlers from adapting to the native way of life; â€Å"We must rub our eyes and look again, clear our minds of what we are looking for to see what is there.† Through this, Malouf is conveying that the settlers are pompous and arrogant to think they could simply impose themselves upon the land, when they should have adapted to it instead. There is also a significant amount of implied criticism in the notebook where Mr Frazer states, â€Å"The children of this land were made for it†, allowing the reader to Malouf is trying to say that the Aboriginal people belong, whereas the settlers do not. This line of thought provokes the reader to form an opinion over who is entitled to the land. Later, Mr Frazer goes to Governor in order to appeal to him to acknowledge these ideas, however his intentions are completely misunderstood by both the Governor and the Premier, â€Å"Had he made himself so unclear?†, and this is an attempt to convey to the reader that the settlers of the time may have had some very genuinely post colonial views and ideas. However these were prevented from becoming a reality by the British government and the bureaucracy of the time, because of their complete self-involvement and lack of regard for anything that does not affect them and their progress. This idea is put forward to support the ignorance of the English settlers. Mr Frazer's notebook, therefore, plays a very significant role in conveying several key themes and ideas in the novel which in turn allow for the reader to gain a deeper and more complete understanding of the novel by forming their own opinions of these ideas. 6. Language is a recurring motif Remembering Babylon is based almost completely around the concept that language is identity – without it we cannot truly belong. Malouf puts forward the concept that everyone is defined by their language and, by extension, their associated culture. This idea is expressed in the text through three distinctly different forms; the written word, the power of language and the wordless communication that occurs on a different, more spiritual, level of consciousness. In the text there are several different examples of written communication, the most prominent of which are Gemmy's life story and Mr. Frazer's letter to the Governor. These examples are used by Malouf as a warning that the written word should not be considered as reliable or accurate as other forms of communication. In the case of Gemmy's life story, George Abbot alters Gemmy's words as he is writing them down, â€Å"†¦he had introduced into what he had set down a phrase or two of his own†¦this scrap of mistruth†, signifying to the audience that just because a piece of ‘history' is written down does not necessarily mean that it is the truth, and that perspective and translation may also have an effect on the final product. Mr. Frazer's letter to the Governor was in relation to his ideas of how the settler's should work to adapt to the land instead of imposing themselves on it, however these ideas are completely misunderstood by the Governor and the Premier, who end up offering Gemmy a job in response, â€Å"Had he made himself so unclear?† Readers are able to understand that that the written language is discouraged by Malouf as a vehicle for miscommunication, shown through Abbot falsifying Gemmy's story and the misunderstanding with relation to Mr. Frazer's letter. The manipulation of Gemmy's story fits the Eurocentric agenda as it parallels the theft by the settlers of Aboriginal land in the novel. Malouf suggests that the power of language lies in its ability to determine how we make meaning from what we see and experience, that we are defined by it and will be rejected from any society that does not support and accept that language. This is true for Gemmy, as he is never fully accepted by the settlers because of his inability to speak the language. Through this, Malouf suggests that language is culturally restrictive and that it is so powerful that it has the ability to alienate those who cannot or will not adopt the language. This draws a link between language in the text and its ability to control identity and purpose. The wordless, spiritual communication represented by the epiphanies experienced by some characters such as Jock and Janet are able to strengthen their individuality and allows for, Janet especially, the development of their own identities that are not moulded by the expectations of society. Through this, characters are able to develop a new level of understanding, where they are able to rise above the prejudice of the petty and those who have a weak sense of identity and who use the settlers' fear of the Aboriginals and Gemmy as a way to connect with them for a sense of inclusion and purpose. This is demonstrated in the text by Andy McKillop, â€Å"He was determined not to be ignored. He had a savage need to convince people of things; but had first, he knew†¦to convince them about himself.† The power of wordless, spiritual communication therefore plays a significant role in conveying the link between language and identity through epiphany. 7. Symbolism Malouf uses symbolism frequently in Remembering Babylon, and to great effect. His use of symbolism is significant in showing the ways in which the settlers attempt to create and maintain a sense of control and psychological superiority over the Aboriginal people, as well as to show how many of the characters in the novel are able to achieve a clearer understanding of the world through an epiphany, bringing them to a new level of spiritual and emotional clarity. Examples of this can be seen through the symbolism of the stick that Lachlan uses as a gun when he first encounters Gemmy, the bees and the fence. Remembering Babylon is very much centred around the theme of racial superiority. Readers are able to gain an understanding from the novel that this superiority does not truly exist, but that the settlers are determined to hold on to any power they have over the Aboriginals in an effort to maintain control. This is demonstrated through the stick that Lachlan uses as a gun when he first encounters Gemmy and the symbolic nature of what the stick represents. Lachlan imagines the stick to be a gun, and therefore a emblem of power and authority. This action is representative of how the settlers ‘imagine' their power over the Aboriginals in the same way that Lachlan pretends that the stick(equality) is a gun(power and superiority), whereas in reality the settlers are equal to the aboriginals, in the same way that the ‘gun' is simply a stick, which holds no commanding power. By imagining that the stick is a gun, Malouf is suggesting that the power and superiority that the settlers(Lachlan) have over the natives(Gemmy) is simply a psychological manifestation of the Eurocentric views that they have been brought up to believe are a reality. In essence, this one action is symbolic of how the settlers' superiority over the Aboriginals exists only in their minds and has no realistic basis. This is done in an attempt to maintain order, as Lachlan imagines the stick as a gun, he is able to maintain control of the situation. Readers understand that Gemmy is aware that the stick is not really a gun, though it may still be used as a weapon, â€Å"It had taken him only a moment of course to see that it was just a stick, but that did not mean it was harmless†, much like how the psychological beliefs of the settlers could have violent and brutal consequences in the physical realm. This is symbolic of the way that the Aboriginal's are aware that there is no real divide between themselves and the settlers as human beings; however they cooperate with the settlers in order to allow them the idea of control, as Gemmy does with Lachlan, which in turn allows for the Aboriginals to continue their lives in a peaceful manner. The stick therefore is a significant and powerful symbol of the settlers' false power, and this symbolism allows for the interpretation by readers of the th eme. The bees in Remembering Babylon are emblematic of a perfect civilization, where all parts of the society work together as a collective for the good of the collective. The nature of the bees can be linked to the nature of the Aboriginal people, who have a system of hunter gatherers who work together for the good of the tribe. This relationship can also be shown in that the bees will not harm a human unless they feel threatened in some way, much like the Indigenous people would not attack the settlers unless they are provoked. However, as can be seen in the text, Mrs. Hutchence, despite relaying this information to Janet, did not entirely believe it herself, â€Å"She saw then†¦that though her own faith had been absolute, Mrs. Hutchence's had not.† This is also figurative of the settler's view of the Aboriginals; that they may attack at any moment, without warning and without provocation, and that, despite the McIvors' insistence that Gemmy is not a threat to the community, many of the settlers are still reluctant to believe them and regard Gemmy as a threat. In the novel, the fence is representative of the dividing line between the Absolute Dark and civilization. This line is clear and definitive, clearly a physical depiction of how the settlers believe that there is a clear and distinct hierarchy between them and the Aboriginals, and this is founded by their belief in white supremacy. The fence is the dividing line between the barbaric and unknown darkness of the Aboriginals and the bright, civilized and safe world of the settlers. It provides a psychological boundary as well as a physical one that separates the Aboriginals from the settlers and allows them the pretence of safety and superiority over them. This physical boundary highlights the need for the settlers to extend this idea of superiority into the physical world through the fence in order to reinforce their unwavering belief that there are no similarities between themselves and the Indigenous people. 8. Literary Techniques used to convey values and themes Malouf uses a number of literary techniques throughout Remembering Babylon that aid in the passage of values and themes to the reader. Several of these techniques are more effective in conveying values and themes; these include Malouf's use of imagery, point of view and style. Remembering Babylon has an omniscient narrative, and therefore the reader is able to look through certain characters' perspectives. They are able to see Sir George's grandeur expectations or Lachlan's youthful view of the world, as in each chapter the narration is filtered through a particular character's perspective. Malouf may have elected to write his novel in the third person as a way to provide different views on certain situations in order to help the reader gain a more complete grasp of the significance of particular events. Third person narrative makes it easier for the reader to understand the transformation of each character in the novel and the profound ways in which Gemmy has influenced their lives, whether it be to bring out the best in them as human beings, or the worst in them through their fear of change and the unknown. Malouf's style is unique, and one of the most potent literary techniques is his restrained writing. This style of writing uses the power of suggestion, which allows the reader to form their own opinions on certain events and ideas in the novel. The most obvious example of this may be Mr. Frazer's visit to the Governor's house where he misunderstands the situation unfolding around him with the Governor's wife and the Premier. As a result of Mr. Frazer's misinterpretation of the situation, the audience is not given a clear understanding of the event; however this allows for reader interpretation and is forced to form their own ideas about what has occurred. Another such example of this style of writing is evident in chapter two of the text, when Gemmy is washed up onto the shore. Malouf has no way of knowing what the Aboriginal people would have been thinking, as he is not an Aboriginal himself and has never experienced their way of life, however Malouf uses this technique to suggest many things about their thoughts of Gemmy. Imagery is a very prominent technique used by Malouf in Remembering Babylon and can be seen when Gemmy is visited in the settlement by the two Aboriginals, â€Å"†¦as he recognised one and then another feature of it, the site of old happenings†¦felt the energy flow back into him, and saw†¦how weak he had grown in these last months†¦the land up there was his mother†¦it belonged to him as he did to it†¦Ã¢â‚¬ . This use of imagery demonstrates how Gemmy views the land the way the Aboriginals do – as his ‘mother', a living organism to be taken care of and nurtured. Imagery is used by Malouf as a way of showing the audience the differences in perspective of each of the characters in that not all of them would view the land the way that Gemmy does, and this therefore leads into the theme of how the settlers try to change the land. Gemmy does not understand this, as changing the land to him would be like trying to change his mother. In this way, Malouf is showing the audience the effect that a different upbringing can have on our perception of the world around us. 9. Malouf's sympathies Malouf conveys sympathy towards both the Aboriginals and the Settler's throughout Remembering Babylon. It is obvious that his favour lies with the Indigenous people, as can be seen in chapter two, where Malouf reveals the good nature of the Aboriginals through their partial acceptance of Gemmy after he is washed up on the shore. The tribe who took him in treated Gemmy more like a human being than any of the settlers did throughout the entirety of the novel. However, it can also be seen that Malouf has sympathy for the settlers as well, and this is shown through the characterisation of the McIvors. This is done as, if Malouf were to generalise all of the settlers and to provide the reader with evidence only to support their negative nature, audiences would assume that the settlers were ‘evil' and incapable of human emotions such as kindness and compassion. However, Malouf realises that the settlers are human beings with real emotions and that, while they have been wildly misled by their forefathers about their superiority over other cultures, are not truly evil. Obviously, the vast majority of the settlers stick to their stubborn refusal to accept Gemmy and all that he represents, which is done sometimes out of fear, and sometimes out of malice and contempt, however, some, such as the McIvors and Mrs. Hutchence, who despite being trapped in a society with very prominent Eurocentric views, are able to grow and rise above this, though they still have their reservations. If Malouf did not do this and instead was to generalise all the settlers, presenting them to the reader as the ‘evil' of the story to be hated without question or complaint, he would in essence be conveying the same attitude that the settlers have towards the Aboriginals, by assuming that they are all to be hated and feared, and that there could not possibly be any remnants of goodness in them.

Interpretations of Heart of Darkness Essays - Joseph Conrad

Interpretations of Heart of Darkness Essays - Joseph Conrad Interpretations of Heart of Darkness In Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness, there is a great interpretation of the feelings of the characters and uncertainties of the Congo. Although Africa, nor the Congo are ever really referred to, the Thames river is mentioned as support. This intricate story reveals much symbolism due to Conrad's theme based on the lies and good and evil, which interact together in every man. Today, of course, the situation has changed. Most literate people know that by probing into the heart of the jungle Conrad was trying to convey an impression about the heart of man, and his tale is universally read as one of the first symbolic masterpieces of English prose (Graver,28). In any event, this story recognizes primarily on Marlow, its narrator, not about Kurtz or the brutality of Belgian officials. Conrad wrote a brief statement of how he felt the reader should interpret this work: "My task which I am trying to achieve is, by the power of the written word, to make you hear, to make you feel-it is above all, to make you see.(Conrad 1897) Knowing that Conrad was a novelist who lived in his work, writing about the experiences were as if he were writing about himself. "Every novel contains an element of autobiography-and this can hardly be denied, since the creator can only explain himself in his creations."(Kimbrough,158) The story is written as seen through Marlow's eyes. Marlow is a follower of the sea. His voyage up the Congo is his first experience in freshwater navigation. He is used as a tool, so to speak, in order for Conrad to enter the story and tell it out of his own philosophical mind. He longs to see Kurtz, in the hope's of appreciating all that Kurtz finds endearing in the African jungle. Marlow does not get the opportunity to see Kurtz until he is so disease-stricken he looks more like death than a person. There are no good looks or health. In the story Marlow remarks that Kurtz resembles "an animated image of death carved out of old ivory." Like Marlow, Kurtz is seen as an honorable man to many admirers; but he is also a thief, murderer, raider, persecutor, and above all he allows himself to be worshipped as a god. Both men had good intentions to seek, yet Kurtz seemed a "universally genius" lacking basic integrity or a sense of responsibility (Roberts,43). In the end they form one symbolic unity. Marlow and Kurtz are the light and dark selves of a single person. Meaning each one is what the other might have been. Every person Marlow meets on his venture contributes something to the plot as well as the overall symbolism of the story. Kurtz is the violent devil Marlow describes at the story's beginning. It was his ability to control men through fear and adoration that led Marlow to signify this. Throughout the story Conrad builds an unhealthy darkness that never allows the reader to forget the focus of the story. At every turn he sees evil lurking within the land. Every image reflects a dreary, blank one. The deadly Congo snakes to link itself with the sea and all other rivers of darkness and light, with the tributaries and source of man's being on earth (Dean,189). The setting of these adventurous and moral quests is the great jungle, in which most of the story takes place. As a symbol the forest encloses all, and in the heart of the African journey Marlow enters the dark cavern of his won heart. It even becomes an image of a vast catacomb of evil, in which Kurtz dies, but from which Marlow emerges spiritually reborn. The manager, in charge of three stations in the jungle, feels Kurtz poses a threat to his own position. Marlow sees how the manager is deliberately trying to delay any help or supplies to Kurtz. He hopes he will die of neglect. This is where the inciting moment of the story lies. Should the company in Belgium find out the truth a bout Kurtz's success in an ivory procurer, they would undoubtedly elevate him to the position of manager. The manager's insidious and pretending nature opposes all truth (Roberts,42). This story

Talk About Geologic Time in Ma or Myr

Talk About Geologic Time in Ma or Myr Geologists have a bit of awkwardness in their language in talking about the deep past: distinguishing dates in the past from durations  or ages. Ordinary people dont have a problem with the weirdness of historical time- in 2017; we can easily say that an event in B.C.E. 200 happened 2216 years ago,  and that an object made back then is 2216 years old today. (Remember, there was no year 0.) But geologists have a need to separate out the two types of time with different abbreviations or symbols, and there is a debate about establishing a standard way of expressing it. A widespread practice has arisen in the last few decades that gives dates (not ages) in the format X Ma (x million years ago); for example, rocks that formed 5 million years ago are said to date from 5 Ma. 5 Ma is a point in time that is 5 million years from the present. And instead of saying that a rock is 5 Ma old, geologists use a different abbreviation, such as m.y., mya, myr, or Myr (all of which stand for millions of years, in reference to age or duration). This is a little awkward, but the  context makes things clear. Agreeing on a Definition for Ma Some scientists see no need for two different symbols or abbreviations, as something formed 5 million years before the present would indeed be 5 million years old. They are in favor of one system or set of symbols for all sciences, from geology and chemistry to astrophysics and nuclear physics. They wish to use Ma for both, which has caused some concern from geologists, who want to make the distinction and view it as unnecessarily confusing going forward to have Ma apply to both. Recently the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) and the International Union of Geological Sciences (IUGS) convened a task force to decide on an official definition of the year to go into the Systà ¨me International or SI, the metric system. The exact definition isnt important here, but the symbol they chose, a, (for the Latin annus, which translates to year) would override geological custom by requiring everyone to use Ma for millions of years ago, ka for thousands of years ago, and Ga for billions of years ago, etc. everywhere. That would make writing geology papers somewhat harder, but we could adjust. But Nicholas Christie-Blick of Columbia University has looked more deeply at the proposal and cried foul in GSA Today. He raised an important question: How can SI accommodate the year as a derived unit when SI rules require that these must be simple powers of base units? The metric system is for physical quantities and measurable distances, not time: points in time are not units. Theres no room in the rules for a derived unit called the year, which would be defined as 31,556,925.445 s. Derived units are things like the gram (10 -3 kg). If this were a legal dispute, Christie-Blick would be arguing that the year has no standing. Start over, he says, and get buy-in from geologists.

Chronic fatigue syndrome, mitochondrial dysregulation and oxidative Essay

Chronic fatigue syndrome, mitochondrial dysregulation and oxidative stress - Essay Example Its treatment also is through suppression of the symptoms (Myhill 2014). The onset of symptoms of this disorder occurs at the age of early 20s to mid-40s, with a higher group reporting the onset of their symptoms at their early 30s. They can also occur in children aged between 13 and 15 years. Anyone is prone to this syndrome no matter the sex. However, it appears that females are more prone and have a greater chance of ailing this disease; 60-70% are female. The ratio of females to males suffering CFS is 3:1. In the UK, some research reports indicated that the illness was present in 0.5-2% of the population; this estimates about 250000 people in the UK with chronic fatigue syndrome (Thew & Mckenna 2009). Mitochondrial dysregulation is the impairment of the mitochondrial physiological processes (Lalsh, 1993). As we know, the role of mitochondria in the cells of the human body is to provide energy for the body that helps humans to do work. Once these regulatory processes are interfered with, the process of energy manufacturing is also affected: there may be less energy produced or more or imbalanced regarding the time that it is needed. It may be related to chronic fatigue syndrome in the sense that, it may be a causative agent. Lack of enough energy that the body needs is what makes one feel tired hence fatigued (Lalsh, 1993). Therefore, those having chronic fatigue syndrome are likely to have mitochondrial dysfunction. Oxidative stress can be described as the constant imbalance between the manufacturing of the reactive oxygen species, also known as the free radicals and their neutralisation by the antioxidants. The unstable nature of the reactive oxygen species makes them very react ive and renders them the ability to cause great cell damage through breaks and DNA mutation (Shankar & Srivastava, 2012). This phenomenon often leads to irreparable cellular damage. The mitochondrial respiratory cycle plays an

RESEARCH METHODS - Preparing an effective questionnaire that elicits Assignment

RESEARCH METHODS - Preparing an effective questionnaire that elicits the maximum rate of responses - Assignment Example Please go through the questionnaire, and answer the questions. We will collect it from you within 3 days. The questionnaire should not take you more than 20 minutes. The results of this research project will benefit you only, since it will enlighten Etisalat about where it is going strong and where it is lacking, when it comes to its reputation as an employer. We aim to use the results of the survey for future decision making, with respect to policies regarding many work related and employees-affecting issues. The results might not be shared with you, but their after effects will be quite visible to you, in the decisions that are then taken place. You are not exposed to any kind of risks while filling the form and we promise complete confidentiality when it comes to your responses. Your responses will not be shared with anyone and will stay within the research group that is conducting this research. If you do not personally wish to hand over the survey to us, we have alternatives for you. You can leave it in the postbox of Etisalat and address it to us. Your participation is completely your choice and voluntary, but we would love it if you participate. If you have any queries or comments regarding this questionnaire, contact us at 034-5678908. This study has been approved by an external research organization to ensure that it fulfills the ethics of any research. 12. Divide 100 points among the following characteristics of an organization according to how important each characteristic is to you when choosing an employer? For instance, if you think salary is the most important, then assign 50 points to salary, and then divide the remaining points among the other characteristics. The more points you give to a characteristic, the more important it is to you. Remember: the total should come to 100