Eng 102 Fall 19 Syllabus Professor Ramos Blog

Eng 102 Fall 19 Syllabus Unit 1 – Critical Engagement with Media

How to Calculate Standard Deviation

How to Calculate Standard Deviation Standard deviation (usually denoted by the lowercase Greek letter ÏÆ') is the average or means of all the averages for multiple sets of data. Standard deviation is an important calculation for math and sciences, particularly for lab reports. Scientists and statisticians use standard deviation to determine how closely sets of data are to the mean of all the sets. Fortunately, its an easy calculation to perform. Many calculators have a standard deviation function, however, you can perform the calculation by hand and should understand how to do it. Different Ways to Calculate Standard Deviation There are two main ways to calculate standard deviation: population standard deviation and sample standard deviation. If you collect data from all members of a population or set, you apply the population standard deviation. If you take data that represents a sample of a larger population, you apply the sample standard deviation formula. The equations/calculations are nearly the same with two exceptions: for the population standard deviation, the variance is divided by the number of data points (N), while for the sample ​standard deviation, its divided by the number of data points minus one (N-1, degrees of freedom). Which Equation Do I Use? In general, if youre analyzing data that represents a larger set, choose the sample standard deviation. If you gather data from every member of a set, choose the population standard deviation. Here are some examples: Population Standard Deviation- Analyzing test scores of a class.Population Standard Deviation- Analyzing the age of respondents on a national census.Sample Standard Deviation- Analyzing the effect of caffeine on reaction time on people ages 18 to 25.Sample Standard Deviation- Analyzing the amount of copper in the public water supply. Calculate the Sample Standard Deviation Here are step-by-step instructions for calculating standard deviation by hand: Calculate the mean or average of each data set. To do this, add up all the numbers in a data set and divide by the total number of pieces of data. For example, if you have four numbers in a data set, divide the sum by four. This is the mean of the data set.Subtract the deviance of each piece of data by subtracting the mean from each number. Note that the variance for each piece of data may be a positive or negative number.Square each of the deviations.Add up all of the squared deviations.Divide this number by one less than the number of items in the data set. For example, if you had four numbers, divide by three.Calculate the square root of the resulting value. This is the sample standard deviation. See a worked example of how to calculate sample variance and sample standard deviation. Calculate the Population Standard Deviation Calculate the mean or average of each data set. Add up all the numbers in a data set and divide by the total number of pieces of data. For example, if you have four numbers in a data set, divide the sum by four. This is the mean of the data set.Subtract the deviance of each piece of data by subtracting the mean from each number. Note that the variance for each piece of data may be a positive or negative number.Square each of the deviations.Add up all of the squared deviations.Divide this value by the number of items in the data set. For example, if you had four numbers, divide by four.Calculate the square root of the resulting value. This is the population standard deviation. See an example worked problem for variance and population standard deviation.

Resource,learning and talent mgt Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Resource,learning and talent mgt - Essay Example Graphic models, data and regression statistics support studies on leadership. Barker (2001) finds that management and leadership are two diverse topics. The statement by Barker shows that leadership and management cannot be used in an interchangeable manner because of their diverse nature. The differences between management and leadership show that it is difficult for an individual to become a good leader and manager at the same time. Organizations offer platforms for learning and developing effective management and leadership practices. An individual has the capabilities of navigating the two positions with the right knowledge and experience (Darr, 2011, p. 4). Leaders identify possible areas that require change and pursue them. These changes are facilitated by organizational theories of action that enable employees and followers to map their actions. Leadership begins with an individual’s choice to pursue and begin the process of change. Organizations, groups and teams requi re effective managers and leaders who can successfully run operations. Leaders and managers influence their employee’s job satisfaction and the operations of a learning organization. This means that leaders influence people’s actions and their abilities to map their actions in order to align with expected outcomes. ... e, Bill Gates assumes the state of both a leader and a manager though the two fields have different definitions, skill sets and behavioral consistency that contribute to effective leadership and management (Lesinski 2009 p. 45). For example, he motivates the workers by setting the vision of the organization, but also participates in providing operational guidelines as evident in the launch of various products within the company (Su-Chao, and Ming – Shing 2007 p. 156). Differences between Leadership and Management Leadership involves acting on possibilities that can influence an organization. This means that leaders see possibilities, describe the possibilities and plan to pursue the possibilities (Lain & Judy 2001 p. 21). For example, Sir Richard Branson of Virgin Atlantic has assumed the role of a leader by providing a vision that contributes to the growth of the company. This has improved his standing in the society because he seems to understand the needs of the company bey ond the management, and administrative roles (Carter 2013 p. 2). Conversely, management occurs as the act of coordinating efforts of people in order to accomplish objectives and goals. For example, the Manager at Bank of America seems to focus on goals stipulated by the administrative entities as well as the vision of stakeholders. He rarely acts on his own since the organization works as a system. Leadership begins with an individual who is willing to act as an agent of change. The main role of a leader is to envision a future and become an agent of change for the achievement of the future. Leadership starts with an individual’s choice to begin the processes of change. According to Dessler (2004), leadership, â€Å"is one person influencing another to willingly work towards a predetermined

Environmental Conflict Resolution Research Paper - 1

Environmental Conflict Resolution - Research Paper Example The expansion of the Oka golf course was approved in 1989 by the Oka mayor. The golf course would cover the land claimed by the Mohawks and it would include sixty luxury Condos and nine additional holes on the course that included members only. The Mayor’s office refused to discuss the issue despite the fact that many people in the region were against the expansion. This caused acute uproar from the Mohawks who decided to take an action by setting up barricades leading to the site where the expansion was being made. The mayor once again blocked all avenues of discussion and sternly ordered the barricades to be removed. The Mohawks were not ready to desert their quest for justice so easily and so they refused to dismantle the barricades. This made the Mayor to deploy the Quebec provincial police and the SQ to intervene and clear the barricades as well as removing the Mohawks who were demonstrating from the site. The way the Local government handled the case leaves many questions unanswered and so this paper will try to show the role of each party in environmental conflict management. The parties included in this case are;- 2. The legal system which is responsible for making the judgments’. Some of the judgments though based on the law fail to address the case at hand and so laws should be set to accommodate the communities’ historical information. 3. The local and the federal government should not use excessive force on its citizens. As it is always better to prevent a cause than to cure the disease, negotiations should always be emphasized. The interests of the community should be considered and the law should be applied to ensure that there is justice and peace after the issue is

Clinical Psychology Paper Essay Example for Free

Clinical Psychology Paper Essay The great evangelist D.T. Niles once said, â€Å"Christianity is just one beggar telling another beggar where to find bread† (Niles, 2010). At its most basic level, clinical psychology is the enterprise of one educated, licensed person using his or her knowledge of human behavior to address, assuage, or otherwise moderate the troubles and concerns of another person’s life—whether they be relational, affective, or physiological. Strictly speaking, clinical psychology is, â€Å"the assessment, treatment, and understanding of psychological and behavioral problems and disorders† (Plante, 2011, p. 5). Clinical psychology is a scientific endeavor, utilizing the instrument of the scientific method to inform the practice, procedures, and treatments used to address human problems. There is an interplay that exists between treatment outcome research and psychotherapy in clinical psychology—the science informs the art and the art informs the science (Plante, 2011). The point of this paper is to catalogue and compare the history and evolving nature of clinical psychology as well as to consider the specific case of counseling within the framework of clinical psychology. History Hippocrates—the original author of the Hippocratic Oath—formed the first complete, if naà ¯ve, physiological explanation of disease and dysfunction (Plante, 2011). He proposed that imbalances in the mixture and quantity of four fluids: black bile, yellow bile, phlegm, and blood, caused several emotions and psychological maladjustment, such as sadness, irritability, and anger. It was not until the advents of Plato that it was conceived that the metaphysical realm of the soul could have an effect on the corporeal domain. However, it was to Galen that a holistic theory of medicine was formed that incorporated the physiological explanations of Hippocrates with the metaphysical explanations of Plato. Even though Galen’s ideas of bloodletting were flawed, it was a step in the direction of objective explanations of illness and disease. During the middle ages the work of Thomas Aquinas, Paracelsus, and Weyer shifted the discussion of psychology away from the metaphysical and toward physical explanations of mental illness, such as bodily causes, movements of the stars, and behavior. Furthermore, at the dawn of the Renaissance and into the nineteenth century the veil of shadow and secrecy behind the inner workings of the mind, body, and cell were ripped from his or her places and the mediums of scientific observation and laboratory investigation were instituted in the place of religion and mysticism as the sole explanation of illness. The works of Rush, Bernard, and Pinel during this period of history paved the way for more humane approaches to the abnormal and deviant—approaches that sought to alleviate psychological dysfunction rather than simply separate and restrain the dysfunctional. The birth of psychology proper came on the heels of the publishing of Wundt’s The Elements of Psychophysics in 1850 and James’ Principles of Psychology in 1890 (Plante, 2011). These publications, along with the institution of the first psychological laboratory by Wundt, culminated in the founding of the American Psychological Association (APA) in 1892. The main drive behind the fledgling field of psychology was to measure empirically behavior to the end of understanding the subsidiary components of the mind itself. Hence, when clinical psychology first got on its feet four years later (1896), through the opening of the first clinic by Witmer, many psychologists frowned upon the application of the principles of human behavior to clinical situations. This was seen as a step away from a general understanding of human behavior and toward abnormal or dysfunctional psychology. Despite the initial tension between clinical psychology and mainstream psychology, the first formal classes in clinical psychology began in 1904 at the University of Pennsylvania and the first edition of the Journal of Abnormal Psychology was published in 1907. Evolving Nature Despite the disinclination of the APA to embrace an applied approach to psychology, clinical psychology grew rapidly in the beginning of the twentieth century (Plante, 2011). Going back to Plato’s contention of the metaphysical affecting the corporeal, Sigmund Freud postulated that unconscious conflict and strife could have a direct outcome on mental and physical illness. The work of Freud shaped and molded the direction of clinical psychology for many decades after his death. Even though it was not until the Boulder Conference of 1949 that the training guidelines for clinical psychology were mapped out and etched in stone, so to speak. One of the main tenets of these guidelines was that clinical psychologists should have a firm understanding of both psychological research and psychotherapy. It was not until the 1950s and on that Freud’s ideas of human psychology were exchanged for the alternatives of humanism, cognitive-behaviorism, and family systems approaches (Plante, 2011). The changes in psychological perspective were precipitated by the establishment of community mental health facilities and the introduction of psychotropic drugs as a treatment of abnormal psychology. Even though these advancements in conception and treatment offered alternatives to the traditional ideas of psychodynamics and behaviorism, no one theory of human psychology proved to explain the entirety of behavior, dysfunction, and cognition. To that end, parsimoniously eclectic approaches to psychology were adopted—such as the biopsychosocial theory—that incorporated many of the ideas and practices from the abovementioned perspectives. Current Issues The last century of clinical psychology has been characterized by an illness ideology that emphasizes the treatment or preventions of disorders (Maddux, 2008). Even though this approach has utility in the realm of psychotherapy it lacks the ability to enhance the quality of life for people who do not suffer from some type of mental illness. Maddux (2008) proposes that a shift toward positive psychology—a perspective that stresses human strengths and mental health—should be pursued. Positive psychology aims to, â€Å"†¦promote health, happiness, physical fitness, and pleasure, and personal fulfillment through the free pursuit of chosen and valued goals† (Maddux, 2008, p. 68). By shifting toward positive psychology the strengths of people can be used to promote mental health preemptively as well as combat mental illness. At the forefront of the implementation of positive psychology is the innovation of virtual reality (VR) as a means to allow patients to manipulate problematic situations related to his or her mental illness without the use of psychotherapy (Riva, 2009). By creating a safe and comfortable virtual environment patients can explore proactive ways to adapt and mediate his or her mental health problems. Research and Statistics in Clinical Counseling Psychology Rather than approach this section from a structuralist approach (e.g. the ancillary parts of clinical counseling psychology), it seems prudent to offer a specific example of how research and statistics are used and effect clinical counseling psychology. Bakar, Jaafar, Mohamed Tarmizi (2009) sought to establish a correlation between counseling self-efficacy and trainee counselor performance. Their research found that indeed there is a positive relationship (r(100)=.312p.05) and furthermore that a general tendency exists whereby self-efficacy predicts future performance. As Plante (2011) put it, â€Å"The science of clinical psychology informs the art while the art also informs the science† (p. 6). In the case of Bakar’s et al. (2009) research, by using the statistical data collected in their study the art of counseling can be influenced and adapted by the science of research and statistics. Specifically Bakars et al. suggested that the training of supervisors is of paramount importance to trainee self-efficacy, because high competence in the supervisor encourages high competence in the trainee. Conclusion In sum, from the first theory of interplay between the metaphysical and the corporeal to the first postulations of a biological basis for mental illness, the investigation of the human condition has sought an explanation for the relationship between psychology and physiology. As the history of psychology in general progressed there was a tendency to seek out more empirical, scientifically ascertainable explanations of human behavior. However, as clinical psychology rose in the late 19th century and early 20th century an applied approach to mental illness was adopted that emphasized a hands-on method to treatment. Currently there is a shift in clinical psychology toward prevention and human strengths and away from the illness ideology of the past century. This can be seen most readily in the institution of VR as a preemptive approach to mental illness. Research and statistics act for clinical counseling psychology as a compass or corrective instrument to inform the practice and training of clinical counseling psychologists. References Bakar, A.R., Jaafar, W.M., Mohamed, O., Tarmizi, R.A. (2009). The influence of counseling self-efficacy toward trainee counselor performance. International Journal of Learning, 16(8), 247-260. Retrieved April 22, 2011, from Education Research Complete database. Maddux, J. E. (2008). Positive psychology and the illness ideology: Toward a positive clinical psychology. Applied Psychology, 57(1), 54-70. Retrieved April 22, 2011, from Business Source Complete database. Niles, D.T. (2010). Retrieved April 22, 2011, from Thinkexist.com web site: http://thinkexist.com/quotation/christianity_is_one_beggar_telling_another_beggar/203369.html Plante, T. G. (2011). Contemporary clinical psychology (3rd ed.). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley Sons Riva, G. (2009). Virtual reality: An experiential tool for clinical psychology. British Journal of Guidance Counselling, 37(3), 337-345. Retrieved April 22, 2011, from Education Research Complete database.

cold war :: essays research papers

In 1949 the cold war spread from Europe to Asia, affecting everyone in its path. China, Japan, and Vietnam were three countries affected by the Cold War. Out of these three countries China was the countries that was affected the most.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The reason why China was affected the most is because its government, economy, and society were all affected by the Cold War. Chinas government was effected because it changed from a Nationalist government, that was supported by the United States, to a communist government, know as the Peoples Republic Of China. Thanks to the help of the Soviet Union China was able to expand its economy to take advantage of the countries natural rescores. China nationalized all industry and set up a five-year plan to increase the output of coal and steel. To help increase agriculture China took control of land out of the hands of landlords and into the hands of peasants, the Chinese government also encouraged peasants to join their land and form cooperatives. Probably the biggest effect of the Cold War was equal rights for women, this meant that women were expected to work alongside men, the country even went as far as to set up nurseries to take care of the children who were now without an stay at home mother. The Japanese government also gave equality to women.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the 1950’s Japan and the United States of America became not enemies, but allies. Japan actually flourished during the period of time, which it was occupied by the USA; during this time period Japan modernized an enormous amount. The main way that Japan became more modern was the fact that the USA helped Japan build modern manufacturing plants. Since these plants were extremely modern they were able to out produce the factories of the west. In Japan women were also give legal equality. Legal equality is different than actual equality because in Japan women were often in charge of the family finances but very few ever got a collage education or high-level jobs.

Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ’s Childhood Pal Chapter 5

Chapter 5 Well, it worked, I finally got the angel to leave the room. It went like this: Raziel called down to the front desk and asked him to send Jesus up. A few minutes later our Latin pal stood at attention at the foot of the angel's bed. Raziel said, â€Å"Tell him I need a Soap Opera Digest.† In Spanish, I said, â€Å"Good afternoon, Jesus. How are you today?† â€Å"I am well, sir, and you?† â€Å"As good as can be expected, considering this man is holding me prisoner.† â€Å"Tell him to hurry,† said Raziel. â€Å"He doesn't understand Spanish?† Jesus asked. â€Å"Not a word of it, but don't start speaking Hebrew or I'm sunk.† â€Å"Are you really a prisoner? I wondered why you two never left the room. Should I call the police?† â€Å"No, that won't be necessary, but please shake your head and look apologetic.† â€Å"What is taking so long?† Raziel said. â€Å"Give him the money and tell him to go.† â€Å"He said he is not allowed to buy publications for you, but he can direct you to a place where you can purchase them yourself.† â€Å"That's ridiculous, he's a servant, isn't he? He will do as I ask.† â€Å"Oh my, Jesus, he has asked if you would like to feel the power of his manly nakedness.† â€Å"Is he crazy? I have a wife and two children.† â€Å"Sadly, yes. Please show him that you are offended by his offer by spitting on him and storming out of the room.† â€Å"I don't know, sir, spitting on a guest†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I handed him a handful of the bills that he'd taught me were appropriate gratuities. â€Å"Please, it will be good for him.† â€Å"Very well, Mister Biff.† He produced an impressive loogie and launched it at the front of the angel's robe, where it splatted and ran. Raziel leapt to his feet. â€Å"Well done, Jesus, now curse.† â€Å"You fuckstick!† â€Å"In Spanish.† â€Å"Sorry, I was showing off my English. I know many swear words.† â€Å"Well done. Spanish please.† â€Å"Pendejo!† â€Å"Splendid, now storm out.† Jesus turned on his heel and left the room, slamming the door behind him. â€Å"He spit on me?† Raziel said, still not believing it. â€Å"An angel of the Lord, and he spit on me.† â€Å"Yes, you offended him.† â€Å"He called me a fuckstick. I heard him.† â€Å"In his culture, it is an affront to ask another man to buy a Soap Opera Digest for you. We'll be lucky if he ever brings us a pizza again.† â€Å"But I want a Soap Opera Digest.† â€Å"He said you can buy one just down the street, I will be happy to go get one for you.† â€Å"Not so fast, Apostle, none of your tricks. I'll get it myself, you stay here.† â€Å"You'll need money.† I handed him some bills. â€Å"If you leave the room I will find you in an instant, you know that?† â€Å"Absolutely.† â€Å"You cannot hide from me.† â€Å"Wouldn't dream of it. Hurry now.† He sort of shuffled sideways toward the door. â€Å"Don't try to lock me out, I'm taking a key with me. Not that I need it or anything, being an angel of the Lord.† â€Å"Not to mention a fuckstick.† â€Å"I don't even know what that means.† â€Å"Go, go, go.† I shooed him through the door. â€Å"Godspeed, Raziel.† â€Å"Work on your Gospel while I'm gone.† â€Å"Right.† I slammed the door in his face and threw the safety lock. Raziel has now watched hundreds of hours of American television, you'd think he would have noticed that people wear shoes when they go outside. The book is exactly as I suspected, a Bible, but written in a flowery version of this English I've been writing in. The translation of the Torah and the prophets from the Hebrew is muddled sometimes, but the first part seems to be our Bible. This language is amazing – so many words. In my time we had very few words, perhaps a hundred that we used all the time, and thirty of them were synonyms for guilt. In this language you can curse for an hour and never use the same word twice. Flocks and schools and herds of words, that's why I'm supposed to use this language to tell Joshua's story. I've hidden the book in the bathroom, so I can sneak in and read it while the angel is in the room. I didn't have time to actually read much of the part of the book they call the New Testament, but it's obvious that it is the story of Joshua's life. Or parts of it, anyway. I'll study it later, but now I should go on with the real story. I suppose I should have considered the exact nature of what we were doing before I invited Maggie to join us. I mean, there is some difference between the circumcision of an eight-day-old baby boy, which she had seen before, and the same operation on the ten-foot statue of a Greek god. â€Å"My goodness, that is, uh, impressive,† Maggie said, staring up at the marble member. â€Å"Graven image,† Joshua said under his breath. Even in the moonlight I could tell he was blushing. â€Å"Let's do it.† I pulled a small iron chisel from my pouch. Joshua was wrapping the head of his mallet with leather to deaden its sound. Sepphoris slept around us, the silence broken only by the occasional bleat of a sheep. The evening cook fires had long since gone to coals, the dust cloud that stirred through the city during the day had settled, and the night air was clean and still. From time to time I would catch a sweet whiff of sandalwood coming from Maggie and I would lose my train of thought. Funny the things you remember. We found a bucket and turned it upside down for Joshua to stand on while he worked. He set the tip of my chisel on Apollo's foreskin and ventured a light tap with the mallet. A tiny fragment of marble flaked away. â€Å"Give it a good whack,† I said. â€Å"I can't, it will make too much noise.† â€Å"No, it won't, the leather will cover it.† â€Å"But I might take the whole end of it off.† â€Å"He can spare it,† Maggie said, and we both turned to her with our mouths hanging open. â€Å"Probably,† she added quickly. â€Å"I'm only guessing. What do I know, I'm just a girl. Do you guys smell something?† We smelled the Roman before we heard him, heard him before we saw him. The Romans covered themselves with olive oil before they bathed, so if the wind was right or if it was an especially hot day you could smell a Roman coming at thirty paces. Between the olive oil they bathed with and the garlic and dried paste of anchovies they ate with their barley, when the legions marched into battle it must have smelled like an invasion of pizza people. If they'd had pizzas back then, which they didn't. Joshua took a quick swipe with the mallet and the chisel slipped, neatly severing Apollo's unit, which fell to the dirt with a dull thud. â€Å"Whoops,† said the Savior. â€Å"Shhhhhhhh,† I shushed. We heard the hobnails of the Roman's boots scraping on stone. Joshua jumped down from the bucket and looked frantically for a place to hide. The walls of the Greek's bathhouse were almost completed around the statue, so really, except for the entrance where the Roman was coming, there was no place to run. â€Å"Hey, what are you doing there?† We stood as still as the statue. I could see that it was the legionnaire that had been with Justus our first day in Sepphoris. â€Å"Sir, it's us, Biff and Joshua. Remember? The kid from the bread?† The soldier moved closer, his hand on the haft of his half-drawn short sword. When he saw Joshua he relaxed a bit. â€Å"What are you doing here so early? No one is to be about at this hour.† Suddenly, the soldier was yanked backward off of his feet and a dark figure fell on him, thrusting a blade into his chest over and over. Maggie screamed and the figure turned to us. I started to run. â€Å"Stop,† the murderer hissed. I froze. Maggie threw her arms around me and hid her face in my shirt as I trembled. A gurgling sound came from the soldier, but he lay still. Joshua made to step toward the murderer and I threw an arm across his chest to stop him. â€Å"That was wrong,† Joshua said, almost in tears. â€Å"You are wrong to kill that man.† The murderer held his bloody blade up by his face and grinned at us. â€Å"Is it not written that Moses became a prophet only after killing an Egyptian slave driver? No master but God!† â€Å"Sicarii,† I said. â€Å"Yes boy, Sicarii. Only when the Romans are dead will the Messiah come to set us free. I serve God by killing this tyrant.† â€Å"You serve evil,† Joshua said. â€Å"The Messiah didn't call for the blood of this Roman.† The assassin raised his blade and came at Joshua. Maggie and I leapt back, but Joshua stood his ground. The assassin grabbed him by the front of his shirt and pulled him close. â€Å"What do you know of it, boy?† We could clearly see the murderer's face in the moonlight. Maggie gasped, â€Å"Jeremiah.† His eyes went wide, with fear or recognition, I don't know which. He released Joshua and made as if to grab Maggie. I pulled her away. â€Å"Mary?† The anger had left his voice. â€Å"Little Mary?† Maggie said nothing, but I could feel her shoulders heave as she began to sob. â€Å"Tell no one of this,† the murderer said, now talking as if he were in a trance. He backed away and stood beside the dead soldier. â€Å"No master but God,† he said, then he turned and ran into the night. Joshua put his hand on Maggie's head and she immediately stopped crying. â€Å"Jeremiah is my father's brother,† she said. Before I go on you should know about the Sicarii, and to know about them, you have to know about the Herods. So here you go. About the time that Joshua and I were meeting for the first time, King Herod the Great died after ruling Israel (under the Romans) for over forty years. It was, in fact, the death of Herod that prompted Joseph to bring his family back to Nazareth from Egypt, but that's another story. Now you need to know about Herod. Herod wasn't called â€Å"the Great† because he was a beloved ruler. Herod the Great, was, in fact, a fat, paranoid, pox-ridden tyrant who murdered thousands of Jews, including his own wife and many of his sons. Herod was called â€Å"the Great† because he built things. Amazing things: fortresses, palaces, theaters, harbors – a whole city, Caesarea, modeled on the Roman ideal of what a city should be. The one thing he did for the Jewish people, who hated him, was to rebuild the Temple of Solomon on Mount Moriah, the center of our faith. When H. the G. died, Rome divided his kingdom among three of his sons, Archelaus, Herod Philip, and Herod Antipas. It was Antipas who ultimately passed sentence on John the Baptist and gave Joshua over to Pilate. Antipas, you sniveling fuckstick (if only we'd had the word back then). It was Antipas whose toady pandering to the Romans caused bands of Jewish rebels to rise up in the hills by the hundreds. The Romans called all of th ese rebels Zealots, as if they were all united in method as well as cause, but, in fact, they were as fragmented as Jews of the villages. One of the bands that rose in Galilee called themselves the Sicarii. They showed their disapproval of Roman rule by the assassination of Roman soldiers and officials. Although certainly not the largest group of Zealots by number, they were the most conspicuous by their actions. No one knew where they came from, and no one knew where they went to after they killed, but every time they struck, the Romans did their best to make our lives hell to get us to give the killers up. And when the Romans caught a Zealot, they didn't just crucify the leader of the band, they crucified the whole band, their families, and anyone suspected of helping them. More than once we saw the road out of Sepphoris lined with crosses and corpses. My people. We ran through the sleeping city, stopping only after we had passed through the Venus Gate, where we fell in a heap on the ground, gasping. â€Å"We have to take Maggie home and get back here for work,† Joshua said. â€Å"You can stay here,† Maggie said. â€Å"I can go by myself.† â€Å"No, we have to go.† Joshua held his arms out to his sides and we saw the bloody handprints the killer had left on his shirt. â€Å"I have to clean this before someone sees it.† â€Å"Can't you just make it go away?† Maggie asked. â€Å"It's just a stain. I'd think the Messiah could get a stain out.† â€Å"Be nice,† I said. â€Å"He's not that good at Messiah stuff yet. It was your uncle, after all†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Maggie jumped to her feet. â€Å"You were the one who wanted to do this stupid thing†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Stop!† Joshua said, holding his hand up as if he were sprinkling us with silence. â€Å"If Maggie hadn't been with us, we might be dead now. We may still not be safe when the Sicarii realize that three witnesses live.† An hour later Maggie was home safe and Joshua emerged from the ritual bath outside the synagogue, his clothes soaked and rivulets running out of his hair. (Many of us had these mikvehs outside of our homes – and there were hundreds outside the Temple in Jerusalem – stone pits with steps leading down both sides into the water so one might walk in over one's head on one side, then out on the other after the ritual cleansing was done. According to the Law, any contact with blood called for a cleansing. Joshua thought it would be a good opportunity to scrub the stain out of his shirt as well.) â€Å"Cold.† Joshua was shivering and hopping from foot to foot as if on hot coals. â€Å"Very cold.† (There was a small stone hut built over the baths so they never got the direct light of the sun, consequently they never warmed up. Evaporation in the dry Galilee air chilled the water even more.) â€Å"Maybe you should come to my house. My mother will have a breakfast fire going by now, you can warm yourself.† He wrung out the tail of his shirt and water cascaded down his legs. â€Å"And how would I explain this?† â€Å"Uh, you sinned, had an emergency cleansing to do.† â€Å"Sinned? At dawn? What sin could I have done before dawn?† â€Å"Sin of Onan?† I said. Joshua's eyes went wide. â€Å"Have you committed the sin of Onan?† â€Å"No, but I'm looking forward to it.† â€Å"I can't tell your mother that I've committed the sin of Onan. I haven't.† â€Å"You could if you're fast.† â€Å"I'll suffer the cold,† Joshua said. The good old sin of Onan. That brings back memories. The sin of Onan. Spilling the old seed on the ground. Cuffing the camel. Dusting the donkey. Flogging the Pharisee. Onanism, a sin that requires hundreds of hours of practice to get right, or at least that's what I told myself. God slew Onan for spilling his seed on the ground (Onan's seed, not God's. God's seed turned out to be my best pal. Imagine the trouble you'd be in if you actually spilled God's seed. Try explaining that). According to the Law, if you had any contact with â€Å"nocturnal emissions† (which are not what come out of your tailpipe at night – we didn't have cars then), you had to purify yourself by baptism and you weren't allowed to be around people until the next day. Around the age of thirteen I spent a lot of time in and out of our mikveh, but I fudged on the solitary part of penance. I mean, it's not like that was going to help the problem. Many a morning I was still dripping and shivering from the bath when I met Joshua to go to work. â€Å"Spilled your seed upon the ground again?† he'd ask. â€Å"Yep.† â€Å"You're unclean, you know?† â€Å"Yeah, I'm getting all wrinkly from purifying myself.† â€Å"You could stop.† â€Å"I tried. I think I'm being vexed by a demon.† â€Å"I could try to heal you.† â€Å"No way, Josh, I'm having enough trouble with laying on of my own hands.† â€Å"You don't want me to cast out your demon?† â€Å"I thought I'd try to exhaust him first.† â€Å"I could tell the scribes and they would have you stoned.† (Always trying to be helpful, Josh was.) â€Å"That would probably work, but it is written that ‘when the oil of the lamp is used up, the wanker shall light his own way to salvation.'† â€Å"That is not written.† â€Å"It is too. In, uh, Isaiah.† â€Å"Is not.† â€Å"You need to study your Prophets, Josh. How are you going to be the Messiah if you don't know your Prophets?† Joshua hung his head. â€Å"You are right, of course.† I clapped him on the shoulder. â€Å"You'll have time to learn the Prophets. Let's cut through the square and see if there are any girls gathering water.† Of course it was Maggie I was looking for. It was always Maggie. By the time we got back to Sepphoris the sun was well up, but the stream of merchants and farmers that normally poured through the Venus Gate was not there. Roman soldiers were stopping and searching everyone who was trying to leave the city, sending them back the way they came. A group of men and women were waiting outside the gate to go in, my father and some of his helpers among them. â€Å"Levi!† my father called. He ran to us and herded us to the side of the road. â€Å"What's going on?† I asked, trying to look innocent. â€Å"A Roman soldier was murdered last night. There will be no work today, now you both go home and stay there. Tell your mothers to keep the children in today. If the Romans don't find the killer there'll be soldiers in Nazareth before noon.† â€Å"Where is Joseph?† Joshua asked. My father put his arm around Joshua's shoulder. â€Å"He's been arrested. He must have come to work very early. They found him at first light, near the body of the dead soldier. I only know what has been shouted from inside the gate, the Romans aren't letting anyone in or out of the city. Joshua, tell your mother not to worry. Joseph is a good man, the Lord will protect him. Besides, if the Romans thought he was the killer he would have been tried already.† Joshua backed away from my father in stiff, stumbling steps. He stared straight ahead, but obviously saw nothing. â€Å"Take him home, Biff. I'll be along as soon as I can. I'm going to try to find out what they've done with Joseph.† I nodded and led Joshua away by the shoulders. When we were a few steps down the road, he said, â€Å"Joseph came looking for me. He was working on the other side of the city. The only reason he was near the Greek's house is that he was looking for me.† â€Å"We'll tell the centurion we saw who killed the soldier. He'll believe us.† â€Å"And if he believes us, believes it was Sicarii, what will happen to Maggie and her family?† I didn't know what to say. Joshua was right and my father was wrong, Joseph was not fine. The Romans would be questioning him right now, maybe torturing him to find out who his accomplices were. That he didn't know anything would not save him. And a testimony from his son not only wouldn't save him, but would send more people to the cross to join him. Jewish blood was going to be spilled one way or the other over this. Joshua shook off my hands and ran off the road into an olive grove. I started to follow, but he suddenly spun on me and the fury of his gaze stopped me in midstride. â€Å"Wait,† he said. â€Å"I need to talk to my father.† I waited by the road for nearly an hour. When Joshua walked out of the olive grove he looked as if a shadow had fallen permanently on his face. â€Å"I am lost,† he said. I pointed over my shoulder. â€Å"Nazareth that way, Sepphoris the other way. You're in the middle. Feel better?† â€Å"You know what I mean.† â€Å"No help from your father, then?† I always felt strange asking about Joshua's prayers. You had to see him pray, especially in those days, before we had traveled. There was a lot of strain and trembling, like someone trying to force a fever to break by sheer will. There was no peace in it. â€Å"I am alone,† Joshua said. I punched him in the arm, hard. â€Å"Then you didn't feel that.† â€Å"Ouch. What'd you do that for?† â€Å"Sorry, no one around to answer you. You're soooooooo alone.† â€Å"I am alone!† I wound up for a full-body-powered roundhouse punch. â€Å"Then you won't mind if I smite the bejeezus out of you.† He threw up his hands and jumped back. â€Å"No, don't.† â€Å"So you're not alone?† â€Å"I guess not.† â€Å"Good, then wait here. I'm going to go talk to your father myself.† I tramped off into the olive grove. â€Å"You don't have to go in there to talk to him. He is everywhere.† â€Å"Yeah, right, like you know. If he's everywhere then how are you alone?† â€Å"Good point.† I left Joshua standing by the road and went off to pray. And thus did I pray: â€Å"Heavenly Father, God of my father and my father's father, God of Abraham and Isaac, God of Moses, who did lead our people out of Egypt, God of David and Solomon – well, you know who you are. Heavenly Father, far be it from me to question your judgment, being as you are all powerful and the God of Moses and all of the above, but what exactly are you trying to do to this poor kid? I mean, he's your son, right? He's the Messiah, right? Are you pulling one of those Abraham faith-test things on him? In case you didn't notice, he's in quite a pickle here, having witnessed a murder and his stepfather under arrest by the Romans, and in all likelihood, a lot of our people, who you have mentioned on more than one occasion are your favorites and the chosen (and of which I am one, by the way) are going to be tortured and killed unless we – I mean he – does something. So, what I'm saying here is, could you, much as you did with Samson when he was backed into a corner w eaponless against the Philistines, throw the kid a bone here? â€Å"With all due respect. Your friend, Biff. Amen.† I was never very good at prayer. Storytelling, I'm fine with. I, in fact, am the originator of a universal story that I know has survived to this time because I have heard it on TV. It begins: â€Å"Two Jews go into a bar†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Those two Jews? Me and Josh. No kidding. Anyway, I'm not good at prayer, but before you think I was a little rough on God, there's another thing you need to know about my people. Our relationship with God was different from other people and their Gods. Sure there was fear and sacrifice and all, but essentially, we didn't go to him, he came to us. He told us we were the chosen, he told us he would help us to multiply to the ends of the earth, he told us he would give us a land of milk and honey. We didn't go to him. We didn't ask. And since he came to us, we figure we can hold him responsible for what he does and what happens to us. For it is written that â€Å"he who can walk away, controls the deal.† And if there's anything you learn from reading the Bible, it's that my people walked away a lot. You couldn't turn around that we weren't off in Babylon worshiping false gods, building false altars, or sleeping with unsuitable women. (Although the latter may be more of a guy thing than a Jewish thing.) And God pretty mu ch didn't mind throwing us into slavery or simply massacring us when we did that. We have that kind of relationship with God. We're family. So I'm not a prayer-master, so to speak, but that particular prayer couldn't have been that bad, because God answered. Well, he left me a message, anyway. As I emerged from the olive grove, Joshua held out his hand and said, â€Å"God left a message.† â€Å"It's a lizard,† I said. It was. Joshua was holding a small lizard in his outstretched hand. â€Å"Yes, that's the message, don't you see?† How was I to know what was going on? Joshua had never lied to me, never. So if he said that this lizard was a message from God, who was I to dispute him? I fell to my knees and bowed my head under Josh's outstretched hand. â€Å"Lord have mercy on me, I was expecting a burning bush or something. Sorry. Really.† Then to Josh, I said, â€Å"I'm not so sure you should take that seriously, Josh. Reptiles don't tend to have a great record for getting the message right. Like for instance, oh, let's see, that Adam and Eve thing.† â€Å"It's not that kind of message, Biff. My father hasn't spoken in words, but this message is as clear as if his voice had come down from the heavens.† â€Å"I knew that.† I stood up. â€Å"And the message is?† â€Å"In my mind. When you had been gone only a few minutes this lizard ran up my leg and perched on my hand. I realized that it was my father giving me the solution to our problem.† â€Å"And the message is?† â€Å"You remember when we were little, the game we used to play with the lizards?† â€Å"Sure I do. But the message is?† â€Å"You remember how I was able to bring them back to life.† â€Å"A great trick, Josh. But getting back to the message†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Don't you see? If the soldier isn't dead, then there was no murder. If there was no murder, then there is no reason for the Romans to harm Joseph. So all we have to do is see that the soldier is not dead. Simple.† â€Å"Of course, simple.† I studied the lizard for a minute, looking at it from a number of different angles. It was brownish green and seemed quite content to sit there on Joshua's palm. â€Å"Ask him what we're supposed to do now.†

Beowulf and The 13th Warrior Essay

Beowulf and the 13th Warrior, both are very good stories, one legibly and the other visually (unless you go to the roots of the 13th Warrior and read Eaters of the Dead). Although it is pretty obvious to anyone who has read Beowulf that the 13th Warrior was based on this great epic, there are still several differences that make for an interesting twist or two. While the two stories are very much alike in several ways, they are also very different. One of the key differences that the reader/viewer notices right off is that the story of Beowulf is being told exclusively about  Beowulf and his antics†¦ almost in a third person view. The 13th warrior, on the other hand, is being told by a  participant (Antonio Banderas who plays Ahmed Ibn Fahdlan) in the action about the symbolic Beowulf character.  Antonio Banderas or Ahmed Ibn Fadlan, is an Arabian ambassador from Baghdad whose whole purpose in going is to  interact with and learn as much as he can about the â€Å"odd† and â€Å"uncultured† ways of the Vikings. Although he starts out pretty upset, almost horrified, about how the Northmen carry on with their barbaric customs and almost complete lack of hygiene of almost any sort. The reason that Antonio Banderas’s character is even part of the story is that the Vikings’ leader, Buliwyf, needs a 13th ma n that cannot be a northman to be included in his posse of adventurers. The goal of the adventurers is to report to an aging â€Å"King Hrothgar† and help him to protect his people from a tribe of savages (you almost think that they as well are â€Å"supernatural† because there are never any of their dead left after battle and they are continually riding around in  bear skins that give them a positively frightening appearance in the mist and  at night) that are causing an  incredible amount of terror (I’d be pretty scared too if I walked into a friend’s cabin and him and his family were cut up into pieces) and completely destroying the population; Grendel is the embodiment of all of the savages, while his only having himself, he so terribly lessened the population and established such a reputation, that he successfully made king Hrothgar move out of his prized mead hall. While there are several similarities in the stories, one very important detail to notice is the parallel between Mr. Buliwyf and Beowulf (both of them are leaders of soldiers and they both rush to the aid of a troubled king whose kingdom is in danger). On top of, both of these leaders of men make it their mission to go and kill the â€Å"mother† (â€Å"mother† of the savages and Grendel’s mother). In Beowulf, the hero actually fought and killed Grendel (â€Å"eaters of the dead† leader and savages combined) first and then when his mother (â€Å"mother† of the â€Å"eaters of the dead†) came and took away his body to her home in the lake, Beowulf followed and then killed her as well†¦ but I suppose the order doesn’t really matter. Another issue to notice is the parallel in â€Å"supernatural† happenings and traits in the two stories. In Beowulf, he had supernatural strength, there was no one and nothing in the world that was strong than he was (he tore Grendel apart†¦ literally, and Grendel was a demon which I imagine is no easy feat). The parallel to that in The 13th Warrior was how even after Buliwyf was poisoned just before he cut off the â€Å"mother’s† head, he still was able to fight through the poisonous haze and muster the strength (even though everyone thought he was pretty much  dead in the town hall) when the time came, and fight off the vengeance being sought by the â€Å"eaters of the dead† for killing their â€Å"mother.† After he dispatched with a couple of savages, he swings his sword at the leader and doesn’t just hit him and knock him off (he’s wearing chest armor so the sword doesn’t cut him in half), he has enough strength not only to try and knock the leader off his horse, but makes him fly off about 10 feet in the opposite direction that he was originally trying to go to get to Buliwyf. The comparison of the way that the fighting men in each of the stories look at fighting is also interesting. In both stories, pride and boasting and â€Å"manliness† plays a very important role in the way things are done. Whether  you fight or not seems to directly impact whether you are a â€Å"man† or not. The warrior code is an imperative part of any good epic, or war story in general†¦ there has to be a â€Å"good† guy that, no matter how bad what he does is, follows some sort of honor code, that is an integral part of a good story. Another very obvious difference is that in the 13th Warrior, Mr. Ahmed Ibn Fahdlan is not the main character of  the story, whereas in Beowulf, Beowulf is obviously the one the story is about. As the viewer watches the 13th Warrior, they will notice that Antonio Banderas serves as the focal point/narrator of the film, even though the story is  not about him. This fact becomes painfully obvious towards the end of the movie, just before the climactic battle, where the main character (the one that is symbolic of Beowulf), Buliwyf, indirectly asks Antonio to write down the story (Mr. Banderas actually seems to offer to copy it down so that their story is not forgotten) and Ahmed Ibn Fahdlan says it will be done (you get the feeling it’s almost a â€Å"get well† gift because Buliwyf is going to die from poison). So, despite not being the main character, he plays a very important role†¦ not only in the copying down of the story but also because he is the reason they were able to put down the savages. One very obvious difference (not sure what the directors were thinking) was that there was sort of a  miniature love story sort of randomly thrown into The 13th Warrior. There really seems to be no point to it, it really has nothing to do at all with the main point of the movie†¦ possibly it was a weak attempt to attract a female  crowd (despite the gore) by claiming that it was, in part, a love story. Overall, it causes one to get distracted  from the point†¦ and it just creates more questions then it answers. While one story is obviously a remake of the other, they still have their own, very acute, differences. And while the 13th Warrior doesn’t nearly come close to being as good of a story as it could have, and there are still several parallels with Beowulf that mad it enjoyable (obviously aside from the action which would make it enjoyable anyway).

amylase essays

amylase essays The enzyme amylase will catalyze the hydrolysis of starch to maltose when the pH is near 7.0. But when the HCl is added to the solution the amylase will be denatured which results in the enzyme being deactivated. The iodine serves as an indicator for the presence of starch. Iodine (I2) will reach with iodide ion to produce the I3- ion. This ion will form a dark blue complex with the Like most chemical reactions, the rate of an enzyme-catalyzed reaction increases as the temperature is raised. A ten degree Centigrade rise in temperature will increase the activity of most enzymes by 50 to 100%. Variations in reaction temperature as small as 1 or 2 degrees may introduce changes of 10 to 20% in the results. In the case of enzymatic reactions, this is complicated by the fact that many enzymes are adversely affected by high temperatures. As shown in Figure 13, the reaction rate increases with temperature to a maximum level, then abruptly declines with further increase of temperature. Because most animal enzymes rapidly become denatured at temperatures above 40C, most enzyme determinations are carried out somewhat Over a period of time, enzymes will be deactivated at even moderate temperatures. Storage of enzymes at 5C or below is generally the most suitable. Some enzymes lose their activity when . As amylase breaks down starch, less and less starch will be present and the color of the solution (if iodine is added) will become lighter and lighter. Enzymes are biological molecules that catalyze many different chemical reactions. With few exceptions, all enzymes are proteins and each enzyme is specific to a certain chemical reaction. Enzymes must maintain a specific three dimensional structure in order to function properly. If an enzyme's structure is altered (by heat or harsh chemicals) it may not function at all. This ...

Avoid Awkward Joint Possessives

Avoid Awkward Joint Possessives Avoid Awkward Joint Possessives Avoid Awkward Joint Possessives By Maeve Maddox Sometimes the best way to deal with conundrums of jointly owned possessions is to retreat and rewrite, especially when one of the owners is represented by a pronoun. When the owners are named, the rule is straightforward enough: When two nouns are used to indicate common ownership, the sign of possession is placed after the second noun: â€Å"This is a picture of John and Mary’s house.† (two people own one house) When two nouns are used to show separate ownership, add the sign of possession to both nouns: â€Å"John’s and Mary’s cars are in the garage.† (two people, separate cars) These rules work with multiple owners, as long as they are all mentioned by name: â€Å"This is a picture of Sam and Jill and John and Mary’s time-share cottage.† (All four have joint ownership of the cottage.) â€Å"Sam’s, Jill’s, John’s, and Mary’s boats are tied to the dock.† (four separate owners of four separate boats) Once we try to replace a name with a pronoun/possessive adjective, however, things start getting uncomfortable. Refresher: Possessive adjectives are pronoun forms that indicate possession; they do not stand for nouns, but stand in front of nouns, like adjectives: my house /our house your house his house, her house, its house/ their house If we change â€Å"This is a picture of John and Mary’s house† to â€Å"This is a picture of John and her house,† we invite ambiguity. Is it a picture of a house belonging to John and Mary, or a picture of John standing by some woman’s house? The usual way an English speaker would get round the problem would be to say â€Å"This is a picture of John’s and her house.† But this would break the rule that reserves the mark of possession for the last partner in the joint construction, although few speakers would fret about it. It’s when pronouns replace both nouns in a joint possession that rewriting the sentence altogether is called for. The following examples were taken from the media: The Chancellor will talk about he and his wife’s relationship. The body was found in her car at she and Kidd’s home in Harrison. The first example is from TV. The use of he is completely out of the ballpark because he is a personal pronoun, not a possessive adjective. We don’t say, â€Å"he wife† or â€Å"he relationship.† The announcer could have avoided the problem by rephrasing the thought as â€Å"The Chancellor will talk about his relationship with his wife,† or â€Å"The Chancellor will talk about his marriage.† The second example is from a news item about a man named Kidd who was suspected of killing his wife. Kidd’s wife had a different surname, a fact that apparently bothered the editor who changed the reporter’s original copy from â€Å"The woman’s body was found in her car at their home in Harrison† to â€Å"The body was found in her car at she and Kidd’s home in Harrison.† As with the first example, a personal pronoun is being used in place of a possessive adjective. We can talk about â€Å"her home,† but not â€Å"she home.† Explaining joint possession can be tricky. Take time to rephrase. 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:Creative Writing 101How Long Should a Paragraph Be?Particular vs. Specific

How Individual Firms Can Prevent A Leeson Incident From Happening To Research Paper

How Individual Firms Can Prevent A Leeson Incident From Happening To Them - Research Paper Example This research paper tells that the collapse of Baring Bank was primarily due to one rogue trader, named Nick Leeson, who was making fraudulent transactions. Leeson occupied a great deal of power in Barings Limited, as he was both the Chief Trader and Head of Settlements, which means that he could make any trades he wanted without any oversight – the fox was in charge of the chicken coop, so to speak. What this essentially meant was that Leeson was able to cover up losses and report them as gains, because, as Head of Settlements, which was in charge of reporting trading losses and errors, he was able to be dishonest in this way. This was brought to the attention of the auditors, which stated that this set-up provided great risk, but Barings did nothing to rectify it. In the end, it was this lack of governance that proved to be the undoing of the firm, as Leeson single-handedly brought the bank down. The Leeson affair was caused by a number of different factors. First, according to Hoch & Kunreuther, bad decisions played a large part in fomenting the conditions under which the scandal occurred. One of the bad decisions was on the part of the managers, who looked the other way regarding Leeson because their emotions got in the way. The managers liked Leeson, as he initially was successful in trading, and the emotion of greed got in the way of closely scrutinizing him. Moreover, Leeson had very little experience in trading, and he had some personal bad debt that was not disclosed in his application for a trading license. All of these should have been red flags, however, they were overlooked by the individuals in the hiring process and by the managers who could have prevented Leeson’s reckless trading, simply because Leeson was liked (Hoch & Kunreuther, 2001, p. 6) Hoch & Kunreuther (2001) also state that there were other reasons why there were so many bad decisions that were made in the Leeson case. One of these is that the company relied too much on intuition. Another is that they were in too much of a rush – they felt that they must capitalize on the Far East market as quickly as possible, without implementing the