Reading Schedule Free Essays

Week 1 Tuesday 01/15 Introduction/Syllabus/â€Å"Where I’m From† sonnet Thursday 01/17 Read â€Å"Brainology† via Carol Dweck Week 2 Tuesday 01/22 Read â€Å"Ain’t I a Woman† and â€Å"The Men We Carry In Our Minds† Thursday 01/24 Active Reading and Analysis Standards (posted on Blackboard under composition and understanding instruments) Week 3 Tuesday 01/29 Read â€Å"Narration† in Patterns; Read I Love Yous Are for White People Ch. 1-3 Thursday 01/31 Read I Love Yous Are for White People Ch. 4-5 Week 4 Tuesday 02/5 Read I Love Yous Are for White People Ch. We will compose a custom exposition test on Understanding Schedule or then again any comparable subject just for you Request Now 6-7 Thursday 02/7 Read I Love Yous Are for White People Ch. 8 Week 5 Tuesday 02/12 Read I Love Yous Are for White People Ch. 9-11 Thursday 02/14 Read I Love Yous Are for White People Ch. 12 Week 6 Tuesday 02/19 Read I Love Yous Are for White People Ch. 13-14; Read I Love Yous Are for White People Epilog, â€Å"About the book† and â€Å"Read on† Thursday 02/21 Read â€Å"Description† in Patterns page 143-148; Read â€Å"Exemplification† in Patterns page 199-201; Read â€Å"Process† in Patterns page 199-201 Week 7 Tuesday 02/26 Read â€Å"Cause and Effect† † in Patterns page 321-326; Read The Kite Runner pages 1-47 Thursday 02/28 Read The Kite Runner pages 48-58 Week 8 Tuesday 03/05 Read â€Å"Comparison and Contrast† in Patterns page 383-384; Read The Kite Runner pages 59-100 Thursday 03/07 The Kite Runner pages 101-124 Week 9 Tuesday 03/12 Read Classification and Division in Patterns pages 447-448 The Kite Runner pages 125-189 Thursday 03/14 The Kite Runner pages 190-223 Week 10 Tuesday 03/19 Read â€Å"Definition† in Patterns page 505-506; The Kite Runner pages 224-272 Thursday 03/21 The Kite Runner pages 273-292 Week 11 SPRING BREAK Tuesday 03/26 No Class Thursday 03/28 No Class Week 12 Tuesday 04/02 The Kite Runner pages 293-371 Thursday 04/04 Read â€Å"Argumentation† in Patterns page 547-548 Week 13 Tuesday 04/09 Read â€Å"Combining The Patterns† in Patterns page 705-706 Thursday 04/11 Read Scholarly Source Week 14 Tuesday 04/16 Read â€Å"Using Research in Your Writing† page 757-766 Thursday 04/18 Read â€Å"Using Research in Your Writing† page 766-782 Week 15 Tuesday 04/23 Read Scholarly Source Thursday 04/25 Read Scholarly Source Week 16 Tuesday 04/30 Read Scholarly Source Thursday 05/02 Read Scholarly Source Week 17 Tuesday 05/07 Read Scholarly Source Thursday05/09 Read Scholarly Source Week 18 Tuesday 05/14 Read Scholarly Source Thursday 05/16 Read Scholarly Source Week 19 Finals Week Tuesday 05/21 Final Exam The most effective method to refer to Reading Schedule, Essay models

Sociological Perspectives of Violence

The focal point of this paper is an outline of various research articles on bigotry and auxiliary savagery against the native. Viciousness will be taken a gander at from three schools of contemplations specifically the basic, clash and procedure hypotheses. The perspectives on these various ways to deal with savagery will be fundamentally broke down, however no worth decisions will be put on any of their view of viciousness. Prejudice According to Headley (2000), bigotry is â€Å"the punishment of inconsistent thought, propelled by the craving to overwhelm, in view of race alone (p. 23). Headley further clarifies that this definition obliges the differentiation between â€Å"true racism† which is the longing to hurt or overwhelm others exclusively based on race, and â€Å"ordinary racism† which he sees as all inclusive highlights of human science (p. 224). Headley further kept up that a bigot isn't simply somebody who wishes to put down another’s  race, yet a dditionally stifle and state his/her own prevalence through a fierce demonstration (p. 224).Naiman (2006) characterizes prejudice as threatening vibe, animosity, and hostility toward non-individuals from a specific gathering dependent on their physical qualities, strikingly skin shading (p. 265). Likewise, Spencer (1998) considers bigotry to be â€Å"the change of race preference and/or ethnocentrism through the activity of intensity against a racial gathering characterized as substandard, by individual and institution† (p. 1). To induce from the previous definitions, a typical quality of prejudice is the conviction that one’s own race is better than another.This conviction depends on the mistaken presumption that physical properties of individuals from a racial gathering decide their social conduct just as their mental and scholarly attributes (Spencer, 1998, p. 5). Verifiable Roots of Racism. The term bigotry became advanced in the late 1960’s during the socia l liberties development (Headley, 2000, p. 235). Before this time as indicated by Headley, the term ethnic bias was utilized (p. 236). Naiman (2006) sets that prejudice is a generally late marvel, and its rise as a precise world-see grew simultaneously with the ascent of entrepreneur and its worldwide extension (p. 66) Naiman further clarifies  that a few researchers characterize types of  social prejudice before this entrepreneur time as bigotry, yet he anyway contends that such social narrow mindedness is all the more unequivocally observed as ethnocentrism (inclination for one’s own social customs) or ethnic pettiness (threat towards a specific gathering) (p. 267).Racism in Canada According to Naiman (2006), a few Canadians like to accept that bigotry is a moderately ongoing wonder connected to present day migration examples or contrasted with United States, Canada has little history of clear prejudice (p. 69). Naiman, in any case, contends that prejudice in Canada h as a long and shameful past, which as a general rule as depicted by him â€Å" is an unattractive history cleared under the frayed floor covering of its national myths† (p. 269). Naiman further kept up that the historical backdrop of bigotry in Canada starts with the oppression of Canada’s native individuals. Brutality Anglin (1998), states that an uncontroversial, comprehensive and exact meaning of savagery is hard to track down. â€Å"Violence is comprehended as an episode in which an acting individual deliberately harms another† (p. 146).Anglin further clarifies that the activity of the culprit can be physical, or mental. In same vein, Steinmetz (1989) characterizes vicious as â€Å"an act did with the intension of, or saw as having the intension of genuinely harming another person†. Strasburg (1978) characterizes savagery as â€Å"illegal use or danger of power against a person†. From the previous, it very well may be gather that fierce conduct implies physical power applied to disregard or manhandling. There are three key terms which are probably going to be available for any activity to be delegated a brutal act.The activity must be deliberate, power might be applied and the activity must bring about damage (physical, mental and passionate). Human conduct doesn't happen in detachment or in vacuum however it is impacted by the exchange of numerous different variables. Therefore, various schools of musings about savagery, see any brutal go about as an antecedent of different components. For instance, the Conflict, Structural, and Process speculations. Strife hypothesis Conflict hypothesis is better comprehended as the Marxist hypothesis. As per the hypothesis, â€Å"Crime is seen as a component of rivalry for restricted resources†.That is, an economic wellbeing where an individual is seen assessed and treated as needs be by lawful specialists. The Marxist view is that contention between these class-based social pro gressive systems, those who are well off (bourgeoisie), and has not (working class) that produces brutal conduct. As indicated by Holmes (1988), the distinction between these two classes involves relative force . Holmes further clarifies that the decision class have adequate force henceforth, they can name some proletariat’s conduct as criminal Structural theoryThe auxiliary hypothesis then again, sees brutality from the impression of social powers or neighborhood conditions. That is, our conduct is a result of our condition. The world we live in, shapes our lives. Since our condition isn't static, our conduct rotates around this dynamism. The basic methodology holds the view that the manner in which certain things are organized by the general public makes vicious acts. For instance, think about the film Elephant; the basic hypothesis will contend that it is a direct result of the manner in which society is organized, that individuals can get weapons to sustain violence.Simil arly, heterogeneity of society innately makes viciousness. This is on the grounds that as per the hypothesis, there will undoubtedly be such issues as social or strict clashes because of these distinctions. Procedure hypothesis According to the defender of this hypothesis, wrongdoing is a component of socialization and childhood. Reprobate conduct is found out like each other conduct through relationship with huge others and reference gatherings, particularly guardians and companions. It is through perception and collaboration with these noteworthy others; we learn strategies for taking part in reprobate acts.According to Process hypothesis, all types of brutal acts are found out through impersonation and perception. For instance in the film Elephant, the Process hypothesis contends that the two sequential executioners learned such fierce acts using vicious PC games and impersonation of the Nazi’s pioneer, Hitler. The contention progressed by these various ways of thinking se ems persuading, on the grounds that savagery in the public arena can be clarified through every one of these methodologies. When these ways of thinking are seen basically, there gives off an impression of being a testing question that should be answered.Among every one of these hypotheses which contributes more to viciousness in the public arena? Thinking about the significance of every one of these ways of thinking, it will be troublesome if not difficult to enough clarify viciousness from the impression of one of these methodologies. This is genuine in light of the fact that every one of these methodologies exchange to impact one’s conduct contingent upon the circumstance. For instance, utilizing the film Elephant, the Process Theory will contend that the sequential executioners took in their obnoxious demonstration through viewing  vicious computer games (perception) their endeavor to copy Nazi’s pioneer Hitler was the forerunner of their actions.On the other han d, the Structural Theory will contend that it is a direct result of the manner in which society is organized that the sequential executioners had the option gained weapons to propagate their demonstrations. Also, if society is organized so that getting vicious PC games are practically difficult to get, maybe the executioners probably won't have the option to obtain such weaponry or learn rough conduct. In same vein, the Conflict Approach says the force battle between the decision class and the common laborers makes awkwardness family structure, which they guarantee brought about poor parental upbringing.This brings about fierce acts on the grounds that the youngsters are not appropriately provided food for. The Role and Effect of the broad communications on Violence Research on media impact in viciousness has been worried about conceivable negative impacts of introduction to fierce movies. What messages, for instance do kids detract from their presentation to different rough motion pictures? As indicated by the Observational Learning Theory Bandura, et al, in their Bobo doll study refered to in Holmes (1988), clarifies that the media urges kids to take care of their issues by rough methods; they further keep up that consistent presentation to viciousness standardizes savagery (p. 100).Critics of the Bobo doll try have called attention to that the doll was the sort of toy that welcomed animosity, and furthermore since the filmstrip utilized in the investigation came up short on a plot, it contained no avocation for the brutality of youngsters. .Different researchers like Alfred Hitchcock’s as refered to in Holmes (1988) contends that following the immediate impacts of the media is an exceptionally troublesome assignment. The purpose behind this as indicated by him is that when the media works in the regular habitat, their impact is just one factor among numerous different components; this is on the grounds that what they see and hear is no doubt observed by their folks (p. 8). Hitchcock further clarifies that in any event, when youngsters are presented to fierce motion pictures through the media, this brutal demonstration is additionally fortified if the parent’s, themselves likewise takes part in any types of savagery. The media reflects about each part of a general public; these reflections are not really precise. This is on the grounds that brutality isn't precisely spoken to by the media. The news media specifically, gives a significant discussion where rough acts are specifically gotten together, contributed with a more extensive importance, and made accessible to open cons

Whats trending My Computer Vision final project

What’s trending My Computer Vision final project The last couple weeks of my fall semester were almost entirely consumed by my final project for 6.869: Computer Vision. So I thought I would share with you guys what me and Nathan, my project partner came up with! For those of you who aren’t familiar, Computer Vision is the study of developing algorithms resulting in the high-level understanding of images by a computer. For instance, here are some questions you might be able to solve using computer vision techniques, all of which we tackled on our psets for the class. Given a simple natural image, can you reconstruct a 3-d rendering of the scene? On the left: a picture of a simple world comprised only of simple prisms with high-contrast edges on a smooth background. On the right: a 3-d representation of the same world. Given several images that are of the same scene but from different angles, can you stitch them together into a panorama? On the left: original photos from the same landscape. On the right: the same photos stitched together into a single image.   Given an image of a place, can you sort it into a particular scene category? This was actually the focus of an earlier project we did for this class. The project was called the Miniplaces Challenge. We were given 110k 128 x 128 images, each depicting a scene, and each labeled with one of 100 categories. We used these examples to train a neural network that, given a scene image, attempted to guess the corresponding category. Our network was able to attain 78.8% accuracy on the test set. If you’re interested, our write-up for the project can be found here! The ground-truth categories for these scenes are, clockwise from the top left: bedroom, volcano, golf course, and supermarket.   For the final project, our mandate was broad: take our ingenuity and the techniques that we had learned over the course of the class and come up with a project that contributes something novel to the realm of computer vision. There were some pre-approved project ideas, but my partner and I decided to propose an original idea. I worked with Nathan Landman, an MEng student from my UROP group. We wanted to work on something that would tie into our research, which, unlike a lot of computer vision research, deals with artificial, multimodal images, such as graphs and infographics. We decided to create a system that can automatically extract the most important piece of information from a line graph: the overarching trend. Given a line graph in pixel format, can we classify the trend portrayed as either increasing, decreasing, or neither? The challenge: identify the trend portrayed in a line graph   Line graphs show up everywhere, for instance to emphasize points in the news. Left: a graph of the stock market from the Wall Street Journal. Right: a stylistically typical graph from the Atlas news site.   This may seem like a pretty simple problem. For humans, it is often straightforward to identify if a trendline has a basically increasing or decreasing slope. It is a testament to the human visual system that for computers, this is not a trivial problem. For instance, imagine the variety of styles and layouts you could encounter in a line chart, including variations in color, title and legend placement, and background, that an automatic algorithm would have to handle. In their paper about Reverse-engineering visualizations, Poco and Heer  [1] present a highly engineered method for extracting and classifying textual elements, like axis labels and titles, from a multimodal graph, but do not attempt to draw conclusions about the data contained therein. In their Revision paper, Savva, Kong, and others [2] have made significant progress extracting actual data points from bar and pie charts, but not line graphs. In other words, identifying and analyzing the actual underlying data from a li ne graph is not something that we were able to find significant progress on. And what if we take it one step further, and expand our definition of a line graph beyond the sort of clean, crisp visuals we imagine finding in newspaper articles? What if we include things like hand-drawn images or even emojis? Now recognizing the trendline becomes even more complicated. The iPhone graph emoji, as well as my and Nathans group chat emoji. But wait…why do I need this info in the first place?   Graphs appear widely in news stories, on social media, and on the web at large, but if the underlying data is available only as a pixel-based image, it is of little use. If we can begin to analyze the data contained in line graphs, there are applications for sorting, searching, and captioning these images. In fact, a study co-authored by my UROP supervisor, Zoya Bylinskii, [3] has shown that graph titles that reflect the actual content of the chart â€"i.e., mentions the main point of the data portrayed, not just what the data is aboutâ€"are more memorable. So our system, paired with previous work on extracting meaningful text from a graph, could actually be used to generate titles and captions that lead to more efficient transmission of data and actually make graphs more effective. Pretty neat, huh? First things first: We need a dataset   In order to develop and evaluate our system, we needed a corpus of line graphs. Where could we get a large body of stylistically varied line graphs? Easyâ€"we generated it ourselves! Some example graphs we generated for our dataset, and their labels.   We generated the underlying data by taking a base function and adding some amount of noise at each point. Originally, we just used straight lines for our base functions, and eventually we expanded our collection to include curvier shapesâ€"sinusoids and exponentials.  Using Matplotlib, we were able to plot data with a variety of stylistic variations, including changes in line color, background, scale, title, legend…the list goes on. Examples of curvier shapes we added to our data set. Using this script, we generated 125,000 training imagesâ€"100,000 lines, 12,500 sinusoids, and 12,500 exponentialsâ€"as well as 12,500 validation images. (“Train” and “validation” sets are machine learning concepts. Basically, a training set is used to develop a model, and a validation set is used to evaluate how well different versions of the model work, after the model has already been developed.) Because we knew the underlying data, we were able to assign the graph labels ourselves based on statistical analysis of the data (see the write-up for more details). But we also wanted to evaluate our system against some real-world images, as in, stuff we hadn’t made ourselves. So we also scraped (mostly from carefully worded Google searches), filtered, and hand-labeled a bunch of line graphs in the wild, leading to an authentic collection of 527 labeled graphs. Examples of images we collected (and hand-labeled) for our real-world data set. We hand-label so machines of the future don’t have to! Two different ways to find the trendline We were curious to try out and compare two different ways of tackling the problem. The first is a traditional, rules-based, corner-cases-replete approach where we try to actually pick the trendline out of the graph by transforming the image and then writing a set of instructions to find the relevant line. The second is a machine learning approach where we train a network to classify a graph as either increasing, decreasing, or neither. Each approach has pros and cons. The first approach is nice because if we can actually pick out where in the graph the trendline is, we can basically reconstruct a scaled, shifted version of the data. However, for this to work, we need to place some restrictions on the input graphs. For instance, they must have a solid-color background with straight gridlines. Thus, this approach is targeted to clean graphs resembling our synthetically generated data. The second, machine-learning approach doesn’t give us as much information, but it can handle a lot more variation in chart styling! Anything from our curated real-world set is fair game for this model. Option 1: The old-school approach A diagram of the steps we use to process our image in order to arrive at a final classification. Here is a brief overview of our highly-engineered pipeline for determining trend direction: Crop to the actual chart body by identifying the horizontal and vertical gridlines and removing anything outside of them. Crop out the title using an out-of-the-box OCR (text-detection) system. Resize the image to 224 x 224 pixels for consistency (and, to be perfectly frank, because this is the size we saved the images to so that we could fit ~140k on the server). Color-quantize the graph: assign each pixel to one of 4 color groups to remove the confusing effects of shading/color variation on a single line. Get rid of the background. Remove horizontal and vertical grid lines. Pick out groups of pixels that represent a trend line. We do this robustly using a custom algorithm that sweeps from left to right, tracing out each line. Once we have the locations of the pixels representing a trend line, we convert these to data points by sampling at a consistent number of x points and taking the average y value for that x-value. We can then perform a linear regression on these points to decide what the salient direction of the trend is. As you can see, this is pretty complicated! And it’s definitely not perfect. We achieved an accuracy of 76% on our synthetic data, and 59% on the real-world data (which is almost double the probability you would get from randomly guessing, but still leaves a lot to be desired). Option 2: The machine-learning approach   The basic idea of training a machine learning classifier is this: collect a lot of example inputs and label them with the correct answer that you want your model to predict. Show your model a bunch of these labeled examples. Eventually, it will learn for itself what features of the input are important and which should be ignored, and how to distinguish between the examples. Then, given a new input, it can predict the right answer, without you ever having to tell it explicitly what to do. For us, the good news was that we had a giant set of training examples to show to our model. The bad news is, they didn’t actually resemble the real-world input that we wanted our model to be able to handle! Our synthetic training data was much cleaner and more consistent than our scraped real-world data. Thus, the first time we tried to train a model, we ended up with the paradoxical results that our model scored really wellâ€"over 95% accuracyon our synthetic data, and significantly worseâ€"66%on the real-world test set. So how can we get our model to generalize to messy data? By making our train data messier! We did this by mussing up our synthetic images in a variety of ways: adding random snippets of text to the graph, adding random small polygons and big boxes in the middle of it, and adding noise to the background. By using these custom data transformations, and by actually training for less time (to prevent overfitting to our very specific synthetic images), we achieved comparable results on our synthetic dataâ€"over 94% accuracyâ€"and significantly better real-life performanceâ€"84%. A diagram demonsrating the different transformations our images went through before being sent to our network to train. Looking at the predictions made by our model, we actually see some pretty interesting (and surprising) things. Our model generalizes well to variations in styling that would totally confuse the rules-based approach, like multicolored lines, lots of random text, or titled images. That’s pretty coolâ€"we were able to use synthetically generated data to train a model to deal with types of examples it had never actually seen before! But it still struggles with certain graph shapesâ€"especially ones with sharp inflection points or really jagged trends. This illustrates some of the shortcomings in how we generated the underlying data. On the left: surprising successes of our graph, dealing with a variety of stylisic variants. On the right: failures we were and were not able to fix by changing our training setup. The top row contains graphs that our network originally mislabeled, but that it was able to label correctly after we added curvier base functions to our data set. The bottom row contains some examples of images that our final network misclassifies. A note on quality of life during the final project period Unanimously voted (2-0) favorite graph of the project, and correctly classified by our neural net. Computer Vision basically ate up Nathan’s and my lives during the last two weeks of the semester. It lead to several late nights hacking in the student center, ordering food and annotating data. But we ended up with something we’re pretty proud of, and more importantly, a tool that will likely come in useful in my research this semester, which has to do with investigating how changing the title of a graph influences how drastic of a trend people remember. If you are interested in reading more about the project, you can find our official write-up here. Until next time, I hope your semester stays on the up and up! References (only for papers Ive referenced explicitly in this post; our write-up conains a full source listing.) J. Poco and J. Heer. Reverse-engineering visualizations: Recovering visual encodings from chart images. ComputerGraphics Forum (Proc. EuroVis), 2017. M. Savva, N. Kong, A. Chhajta, L. Fei-Fei, M. Agrawala,and J. Heer. Revision: Automated classification, analysis and redesign of chart images. ACM User Interface Software Technology (UIST), 2011.  M. A. Borkin, Z. Bylinskii, N. W. Kim, C. M. Bainbridge,C. S. Yeh, D. Borkin, H. Pfister, and A. Oliva. Beyond memorability: Visualization recognition and recall. IEEE Transactions on Visualization and Computer Graphics, 22(1):519â€"528, Jan 2016. Post Tagged #6.869

Commonly Confused Words Literally and Figuratively

The word literally is well on its way to becoming a Janus word—that is, a word having opposite or contradictory meanings. And despite the best efforts of language mavens, one of those meanings is... figuratively. Lets see if its still possible to keep these two words straight.  Ã‚   Definitions Traditionally, the adverb literally has meant really or actually or in the strict sense of the word. Most style guides continue to advise us not to confuse literally with figuratively, which means in an analogous or metaphorical sense, not in the exact sense. However, as discussed in the article How Word Meanings Change and in the usage notes below, the use of literally as an intensifier has become increasingly common. Examples Very young children eat their books, literally devouring their contents. This is one reason for the scarcity of first editions of Alice in Wonderland and other favorites of the nursery.(A. S. W. Rosenbach, Books and Bidders:  The Adventures of a Bibliophile, 1927)In the infamous essay A Modest Proposal, . . . what [Jonathan Swift] really means is that the rich should care for the poor instead of figuratively devouring them with their policies of neglect and exploitation.(Chris Holcomb and M. Jimmie Killingsworth, Performing Prose: The Study and Practice of Style in Composition. Southern Illinois University Press, 2010)  With its rapturously fragrant, sweetly aromatic pale blue ink, mimeograph paper was literally intoxicating. Two deep drafts of a freshly run-off mimeograph worksheet and I would be the education system’s willing slave for up to seven hours.(Bill Bryson, The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid, 2006)The most important thing in art is the frame. For paintin g: literally; for other arts, figuratively--because, without this humble appliance, you cant know where The Art stops and The Real World begins.(Frank Zappa)John went to one window, unfolded his paper, and wrapt himself in it, figuratively speaking.(Louisa May Alcott, Good Wives, 1871)During his extended visit to the area, [poet Gà ©rard de]  Nerval got (figuratively) drunk  on the ambiance and (literally) drunk on Black Forest Kirschwasser (an awful thought, actually).(David Clay Large, The Grand Spas of Central Europe.   Rowman Littlefield, 2015) Usage Notes Literally  . . . means just what it says, which is to say: meaning just what it says.(Roy Blount, Jr.,  Alphabet Juice. Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2009)  Ã‚  Literally in the sense truly, completely is a SLIPSHOD EXTENSION. . . . When used for figuratively, where figuratively would not ordinarily be used, literally is distorted beyond recognition.(Bryan A. Garner, Garners Modern American Usage. Oxford University Press, 2003)For more than a hundred years, critics have remarked on the incoherency of using literally in a way that suggests the exact opposite of its primary sense of in a manner that accords with the literal sense of the words. In 1926, for example, H.W. Fowler cited the example The 300,000 Unionists . . . will be literally thrown to the wolves. The practice does not stem from a change in the meaning of literally itself--if it did, the word would long since have come to mean virtually or figuratively--but from a natural tendency to use the word as a general intensive , as in They had literally no help from the government on the project, where no contrast with the figurative sense of the words is intended.(The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 4th ed., 2000)Like incredible, literally has been so overused as a sort of vague intensifier that it is in danger of losing its literal meaning. It should be used to distinguish between a figurative and a literal meaning of a phrase. It should not be used as a synonym for actually or really. Dont say of someone that he literally blew up unless he swallowed a stick of dynamite.(Paul Brians, Common Errors in English Usage. William, James Co., 2003)Literally  is a bad intensifier, almost always overkill.(Kenneth G. Wilson,  The Columbia Guide to Standard American English, 1993)  Ã‚  Literally has been misused for centuries, even by famed authors who, unlike youngsters posting duckface photos of themselves shot in their bathroom mirrors (Your 2 sexy!), had a good handle on the languag e.Misuse began gathering legitimacy by 1839, when Charles Dickens wrote in Nicholas Nickleby that a character had literally feasted his eyes in silence on his culprit. Before you knew it, Tom Sawyer was literally rolling in wealth, and Jay Gatsby literally glowed. Come on, the guy grew up in New York lake country, not a New Jersey toxic waste dump.(Ben Bromley, Literally, We Have a Language Crisis. The Chippewa Herald, April 3, 2013)What would the world say? Why, it would say that she didnt think our money was clean enough to mix with old man Goochs. Shed throw it in our faces and the whole town would snicker.Figuratively speaking, young man, figuratively speaking, said one of the uncles, a stockholder and director.What do you mean by that?That she--ahem! That she couldnt actually throw it.Im not so literal as you, Uncle George.Then why use the word throw?Of course, Uncle George, I dont mean to say shed have it reduced to gold coin and stand off and take shots at us. You understand that, dont you?Leslie, put in his father, you have a most distressing way of--er--putting it. Your Uncle George is not so dense as all that.(George Barr McCutcheon, The Hollow of Her Hand, 1912)The solution, of course, is to eliminate literally. Most of the time the word is superfluous, anyway, and its easily replaced with another adverb.(Charles Harrington Elster, What in the Word? Harcourt, 2006) Practice (a) Some students are getting swept out of the library, _____ speaking.(b) The word photography _____ means drawing with light. Answers to Practice Exercises:  Literally and Figuratively (a) Some students are getting swept out of the library,  figuratively  speaking.(b) The word  photography  literally  means drawing with light.

Descartes and God Essay - 820 Words

Descartes and God Everywhere in this world there are debates on many things. Logic is often employed in order to understand and come to an agreement on these debated topics. One such topic, which is arguably the greatest topic of debate occurring in modern day, is the existence of God. Sure, many people believe in some sort of higher being, but how many of them try and use logic and rational thought to prove the existence of God. Many probably, however we will only look at one such person. Rene Descartes attempts to use his own logic to come up with the conclusion that a perfect being does exist and that being is in itself God in his book Meditations on First Philosophy. We must first look at the background of Descartes thought†¦show more content†¦The only true thing that cannot be doubted is that he himself doubts and thus exists (at the least as a thinking being), hence his Cogito ergo sum. Through this rational, â€Å"cogito ergo sum† meaning, â€Å" I think therefore I am,† and furthermore, â€Å"I am, therefore I exist†, Descartes rationalize his own existence. Thus his existence is that of an innate nature, however, Descartes also uses the idea of God as an innate idea as well. Is this possible, can he have an innate idea of an external being? Descartes begins his argument, of the existence of God, with the only thing he knows to be true; that through doubting, he must exist. By knowing he doubts he therefore does not know everything. This makes him imperfect. However, to know that he is an imperfect being he must therefore have an idea of what is perfection. And by having that idea, because he is finite and cannot come up with such an idea himself, a perfect being must exist- God. Knowing that he has an idea of perfection, Descartes continues to prove Gods existence by assuming everything must have a cause. This is known as the Principal of Sufficient Reason. Descartes views God as an innate idea, as is that of his own existence. The problem with thinking that God is an innate idea is that it does not include the ideas which others have of God. One would assume that if God were an innate idea, one that was planted in the mind, then all ideas of God would be the same. An instance where God is very differentShow MoreRelated Descartes : The Existence Of God1682 Words   |  7 Pages Descartes’ attempt to prove the existence of God begins with the Trademark argument. He reasons that by having an idea of an infinite being with a certain degree of â€Å"objective reality†, â€Å"there must be at least as much reality in the efficient and total cause in the effect of that cause† (40). Descartes’ idea of God has more objective reality of any of his ideas. Therefore, God must be the cause of his idea as a result of his existence. In what follows I will explain these terms and why theRead MoreDescartes and the Existence of God751 Words   |  3 Pagesï » ¿Descartes: The existence of God Over the course of his treatise Discourse on the Method, the philosopher Rene Descartes attempts to refute radical skepticism, or the idea that we can know nothing with the mind, because what we consider reality may simply be a delusion or a dream. Descartes begins, however, by taking a posture of doubting everything, and then attempting to discern what could be known for certain. Rather than attempting to affirm his existence, I thought that a procedure exactlyRead MoreDescartes Argument of God1540 Words   |  7 PagesGod Does Not Necessarily Have to Exist In Descartes’ Meditations, he makes the strong claim that God must exist. I will first explain what Descartes’s argument for God’s existence is, and then I will attempt to support the argument that God does not need to necessarily exist through objections and replies. Premise 1: â€Å"We have an idea of God as an infinite and perfect being.† First, Descartes believes that there are properties that are inherently perfect. For example, being good is a perfectionRead MoreDescartes, Berkeley, And God5780 Words   |  24 PagesDescartes, Berkeley, and God There are conflicting views between philosophers of the modern era pertaining to the existence of God. Even further, many of these philosophers who share the opinion that God does in fact exist also have opposing views as to how that affects their world view. For example, Descartes’s narrator, in the fifth meditation comes to the conclusion, that God, an almighty benevolent being, is no deceiver, and holds all perfection. Within this system, the narratorRead MoreDescartes s Theory Of God1490 Words   |  6 PagesWithin his work, Descartes presents the causal argument, in which he demonstrates the idea that God must exist because everything with an affect must have a cause . This is one approach that Descartes uses to show the proof of God. By the end of meditation two, following onto meditation three Descartes concludes that we as humans are considered as a ‘res cognitas’ in which we are recognised as a thinking thing. However due to humans being k nown as the ‘res cognitas’ that means God is the ‘perfectRead More Descartes Existence Of God Essay588 Words   |  3 Pages The existence of God has been a question since the idea of God was conceived. Descartes tries to prove Gods existence, to disprove his Evil demon theory, and to show that there is without a doubt something external to ones own existence. He is looking for a definite certainty, a foundation for which he can base all of his beliefs and know for a fact that they are true. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Descartes overall project is to find a definite certainty on which he can base all his knowledgeRead MoreDescartes And Spinoza On Nature Of God1282 Words   |  6 Pages This is certainly the case when it comes to Descartes and Spinoza, who are both adamant that their views provide the correct context and insight on their opinions of God. In Readings in Modern Philosophy by Ariew and Watkins, it is revealed that while both philosophers tend to agree on opinions like God being infinite, there are many reasons why Descartes and Spinoza disagree on the nature of God and their opinion of substance, for example, Descartes believes that there is more than one type ofRead More Descartes and the Existence of God Essay1140 Words   |  5 PagesDescartes and the Existence of God Once Descartes has realized that he can know with certainty that â€Å"I exist† is true, he continues to build on his foundation of truths. The truth about the nature of God, proof of God’s existence, and the nature of corporeal objects are considered, among others, after Descartes proves his existence. Descartes’ principal task in the Meditations was to devise a system that would bring him to the truth. He wanted to build a foundation from which all further philosophicalRead MoreDescartes Belief in God Essay1503 Words   |  7 PagesDescartes and God In his groundbreaking work, Meditations on First Philosophy, the French philosopher Rene Descartes lays the groundwork for many philosophical principles by attempting to â€Å"establish a bold and lasting knowledge† (171)1. The foundations for knowledge Descartes established would go on to influence a plethora of other philosophers and philosophical works. Descartes argues in his meditations first from the point of view of complete skepticism, using skepticism as a tool in order toRead MoreDescartes s View Of God1499 Words   |  6 PagesDescartes proved in earlier Meditations that he himself exists because he is able to think and reason. His thought and his own mental idea of himself acts as the only proof of his existence that cannot be doubted. Descartes has in himself the idea of God and says that something, including that idea, can’t come from nothing. So that idea must have come from somewhere. He purposes that he cannot be the cause of the idea that God exists because he is finite and God is not. God is infinite. Descartes

Introduction of Johnson Johnson Free Essays

string(169) " business is Our Credo, a deeply held set of values that have served as the strategic and moral compass for generations of Johnson Johnson leaders and employees\." Introduction of Johnson Johnson As a consumer, you’re familiar with our name. The rich heritage brands from our operating companies have helped people around the world, and chances are your own family has trusted our products for generations. Johnson Johnson is the world’s most comprehensive and broadly based manufacturer of health care products in the industry. We will write a custom essay sample on Introduction of Johnson Johnson or any similar topic only for you Order Now Our products touch the lives of nearly a billion people every day. Our operating companies around the world compete in consumer, pharmaceutical, and medical devices and diagnostics markets. With approximately 120,000 employees working in more than 250 companies in 57 countries, our Family of Companies has the skills and resources to tackle the world’s most pressing health issues. Few companies have the consistent track record of public trust, annual sales increases, double-digit earnings increases, and steady dividend increases of Johnson Johnson. Working together across our various business segments, we believe that we can accelerate growth through a dedicated focus on the intersection of our existing capabilities, customer need, and emerging trends. Because of our wide-ranging technological expertise and global presence, cross-business collaborations provide an enormous opportunity to address unmet health care needs and to enhance competitive advantage for our Family of Companies. They include In the coming decades, a significant portion of our growth will come from the Asia-Pacific, Latin America, and Europe/Middle East/Africa global regions, through Success in these markets requires an understanding of local cultures derived only from local experience. By sourcing top business and technology employment candidates for positions in their home countries, we can build organizations, facilities, and product marketing systems that respond to local needs. Rallying around the imperative of flawless execution helps our employees around the world Innovations within each of these product platforms take shape through a number of avenues, including Today, and for most of our history, our success is driven by our commitment to principles that are ingrained in our culture. These principles provide continuity in our approach to business opportunities, but they also stablish consistencies in our management style. Our key strengths serve as  a springboard for accelerating our growth and our contribution to human health around the world. Johnson Johnson is committed to building on our knowledge and experience in order to take the lead in a rapidly evolving health care marketplace. Commitment to the promise of science and technology helps us  pro duce innovative products and seek cures for diseases. Collaboration across our businesses and franchises expands competitive advantage and helps us address unmet medical needs. Pariticipation in  global markets—many with substantial unmet medical needs—offers tremendous potential. Recognition of  the responsibility inherent in our health care mission compels us to maintain the highest quality and on-time delivery. Explore Our Expansive Business Strategy A wide focus on health care As a consumer, you’re familiar with our name. The rich heritage brands from our operating companies have helped people around the world, and chances are your own family has trusted our products for generations. Johnson Johnson is the world’s most comprehensive and broadly based manufacturer of health care products in the industry. Our products touch the lives of nearly a billion people every day. Our operating companies around the world compete in consumer, pharmaceutical, and medical devices and diagnostics markets. With approximately 120,000 employees working in more than 250 companies in 57 countries, our Family of Companies has the skills and resources to tackle the world’s most pressing health issues. Our strategic principles Few companies have the consistent track record of public trust, annual sales increases, double-digit earnings increases, and steady dividend increases of Johnson Johnson. Our strategic principles define our management approach and help us build on the strengths of our heritage. Our approach to a converging health care market Johnson Johnson recognizes that leveraging our world-class talent with cutting-edge technology has the potential to create innovative, effective product solutions and a novel approach to holistic patient care. Our vision for growth Working together across our various business segments, we believe that we can accelerate growth through a dedicated focus on the intersection of our existing capabilities, customer need, and emerging trends. Our growth imperatives and our commitment to developing capable, values-based leaders define our vision to rise to a new level of strength. Our strategic approach Few companies have the public trust in the record sales growth, double-digit increases in earnings, as well as Johnson Johnson’s steady increase in dividend. Our strategic approach to determine our management approach and help us to consolidate our traditional strengths. The convergence of our approach medical market Johnson Johnson acknowledged that the use and cutting of our world-class talent, advanced technology, it is possible to create innovative, cost effective product solutions and a comprehensive new method for patient care. Our healthy growth Our work in various business fields, we believe we can accelerate our existing capabilities through a dedicated focus on the junction growth, customer needs, emerging trends. Our growth needs and we are committed to developing skills, values-based leaders set out our objectives, creating a new power level. Johnson Johnson is a company of enduring strength. We’ve been privileged to play a role in helping millions of people the world over be well and stay well through more than a century of change. As the science of human health and well-being has grown, we’ve been able to grow along with it. Even more important, we’ve helped shape and define what health and well-being means in every day lives. Our products, services, ideas and giving now touch the lives of at least one billion people everyday. We credit our strength and endurance to a consistent approach to managing our business, and to the character of our people. We are guided in everything we do by Our Credo, a management document authored more than 60 years ago by Robert Wood Johnson, former chairman from 1932 to 1963, and by four strategic principles. Our Credo: Our Guiding Philosophy The overarching philosophy that guides our business is Our Credo, a deeply held set of values that have served as the strategic and moral compass for generations of Johnson Johnson leaders and employees. You read "Introduction of Johnson Johnson" in category "Papers" Above all, Our Credo challenges us to put the needs and well-being of the people we serve first. It also speaks to the responsibilities we have to our employees, to the communities in which we live and work and the world community, and to our shareholders. We believe Our Credo is a blueprint for long-term growth and sustainability that’s as relevant today as when it was written Our Credo Values Broadly Based in Human Health Being broadly based gives us a number of advantages. Our more than 250 operating companies have a local window into emerging customer needs, scientific developments, and technologies throughout the world. We turn those insights into innovative new products and sometimes whole new businesses. It allows us to transfer scientific breakthroughs, marketing insights and manufacturing expertise easily across the full range of our businesses. This broad base has helped us bring more science to the consumer health products that people use every day. To see the breadth of the Johnson Johnson companies throughout the world, explore the map. A Decentralized Management Approach We are big and we are small all at once. Each of our operating companies functions as its own small business. They are strongly entrepreneurial in character, and they know that their success depends on anticipating customers’ needs and delivering meaningful, high-quality solutions. While our people operate in a small-company setting, they also have access to the know-how and resources of a Fortune 50 company. It’s like having dozens of strategic partners at their fingertips. Explore the map to find out more about our companies throughout the world. Managed for the Long Term We focus on the fundamentals of our business, and manage with future generations in mind. While we keep our eye on social and scientific trends, we make sure our companies balance the short-term and the long-term in their strategic planning. We invest in promising new businesses while maintaining leadership positions in high growth businesses. We are focused on sustainability, and constantly review key economic, environmental, and employee health and safety indicators to ensure we are on the right path. This past year we established an internal innovation fund to keep us at the leading edge of transforming health and well-being. People and Values People and values are Johnson Johnson’s greatest assets. We know that every invention, every product, and every breakthrough we’ve brought to human health and well-being has been powered by people. Our people strive to make a difference. We believe the shared values embodied in Our Credo help us attract and keep the most talented values-driven people in the world. Our Credo Values | | | |The values that guide our decision making are spelled out in Our Credo. Put simply, Our Credo challenges us to put the | | |needs and well-being of the people we serve first. | | | | | |Robert Wood Johnson, former chairman from 1932 to 1963 and a member of the Company’s founding family, crafted Our Credo | | |himself in 1943, just before Johnson   became a publicly traded company. This was long before anyone ever heard the| | |term â€Å"corporate social responsibility. † Our Credo is more than just a moral compass. We believe it’s a recipe for business | | |success. The fact that Johnson   is one of only a handful of companies that have flourished through more than a | | |century of change is proof of that. | | | | Developing markets Growth in Developing and Underserved Markets In the coming decades, a significant portion of our growth will come from the Asia-Pacific, Latin America, and Europe/Middle East/Africa global regions, through †¢ Product marketing †¢ Innovative manufacturing †¢ Product development †¢ Leadership development activities Success in these markets requires an understanding of local cultures derived only from local experience. By sourcing top business and technology employment candidates for positions in their home countries, we can build organizations, facilities, and product marketing systems that respond to local needs. Established in 2008, one of the tasks of the Johnson Johnson Office of Strategy and Growth is to identify new growth and strategic opportunities in developing and underserved markets that have the potential to make a significant impact on human health. These opportunities are separate from those being currently pursued by our existing business segments. The Johnson Johnson International Recruitment Development program is a major component of our global success. By developing future leaders within our international businesses, we build businesses that are better aligned with the pressing health care needs of the regions in which they operate. Our decentralized management structure ensures that Johnson Johnson operations in countries across the world are run locally, with an emphasis on adapting our products and facilities to local cultures, customs, and economic vitality. Growth is driven from within these regions, rather than from afar. Our Heritage Building on the Strengths of Our Heritage Remaining true to the principles that made us strong Today, and for most of our history, our success is driven by our commitment to principles that are ingrained in our culture. These principles provide continuity in our approach to business opportunities, but they also establish consistencies in our management style. Our guiding principles are †¢ Adherence to the principles of Our Credo †¢ A broad base in human health care †¢ Commitment to decentralized management Emphasis on managing the business for the long term †¢ Dedication to people and values While Johnson Johnson is dedicated to Our Credo, which have historically guided our business, our employees, and our culture, we also use these values and beliefs to guide our strategies for the future in a rapidly converging health care marketplace. Our dedication to personal and professional gro wth among our employees, as well as an emphasis on developing new technologies to meet the needs of people around the world, positions Johnson Johnson as a global leader in the 21st century. Flawless Execution Rallying around the imperative of flawless execution helps our employees around the world †¢ Maintain the highest quality and on-time delivery of the products, projects, and processes for which they share responsibility †¢ Display vision, planning, and the ability to adapt to a changing environment †¢ Become better prepared to help us reach our goals in human health care †¢ Develop the discipline that makes tools such as process excellence, shared best practices, and review of process metrics an important part of our operating culture Cross-business Collaborations Because of our wide-ranging technological expertise and global presence, cross-business collaborations provide an enormous opportunity to address unmet health care needs and to enhance competitive advantage for our Family of Companies. They include Collaborations initiated to identify and develop innovative products Grouped purchasing agreements, shared best practices, cooperative talent acquisition and development, and shared research initiatives, undertaken to improve overall performance Their success is due, in part, to strong trust-based relationships. Commitment to the values expressed in Our Credo helps employees of Johnson Johnson companies demonstrate skill and effectiveness as they establish relationships with colleagues worldwide. The decentralized corporate structure within Johnson Johnson, when applied to innovation and business growth, results in different people with different skills, thoughts, and ideas coming together and collaborating to develop products and technologies to advance the standard of health care and satisfy unmet medical needs of patients around the world. Innovative Product Solutions Our opportunities for innovation span a range of product solution platforms that cross our consumer, pharmaceutical, and medical devices and diagnostics businesses: |Anti-infectives |Neurology | |Antifungal |Nutritionals | |Audiology |Oncology | |Cardiovascular |Oral care | |Central nervous system |Orthopaedics | |Dental |Pain and inflammation | |Diagnostics |Patient monitoring | |Dialysis |Respiratory | |Gastrointestinals |Skin care | |Hematology |Surgical instruments | |IV/vascular access |Urology | |Imaging |Vision care | |Immune-mediated inflammatory disorders Women’s health | |Needles and sutures |Wound care | Innovations within each of these product platforms take shape through a number of avenues, including: Aggressive investment in research and development To ensure our continued growth, we make a vigorous commitment to research and development in all business segments. Our RD network is strong and well-equipped, with substantial annual investments. Through wo rld-class research facilities, highly productive small team settings, and sound scientific methods, we build a pipeline and patent estate that match the breadth of our product platforms. Focus on new convergence in the marketplace Our strong commitment to RD, as well as our focus on new technologies, has positioned Johnson Johnson as a market leader ready to capitalize on the rapidly evolving health care landscape. As the marketplace sees a new and steady convergence between technology, products, and services, we see ourselves as uniquely positioned to meet the challenges and opportunities that are emerging. Extensive collaboration and strategic alliances Our broad base in health care offers our companies a unique source of innovative product solutoins: Internal collaborations both within and across business segments. Experts within specific product platforms extend their impact as they identify synergies and establish collaborative development relationships with colleagues throughout our Family of Companies. The ability to work across company boundaries enables true collaborative innovation, and sets the stage for important health care breakthroughs in the future. Additionally, each year, Johnson Johnson companies enter into hundreds of strategic alliances. These alliances combine the  unique strengths of external partners, which, when combined  with those of our businesses, build value for customers. Selective licensing and acquisition We proactively search for innovations from outside our organizations as well. Our conscientious approach to assessing licensing and acquisition opportunities has helped us expand this important source of growth Advancing to a New Level of Strength Accelerating growth by excelling as leaders Our key strengths serve as a springboard for accelerating our growth and our contribution to human health around the world. Johnson Johnson is committed to building on our knowledge and experience in order to take the lead in a rapidly evolving health care marketplace. Our pursuit is grounded in four growth imperatives: Innovative product solutions – Commitment to the promise of science and technology helps us produce innovative products and seek cures for diseases. Cross-business collaborations – Collaboration across our businesses and franchises expands competitive advantage and helps us address unmet medical needs. Growth in developing and underserved markets – Pariticipation in global markets—many with substantial unmet medical needs—offers tremendous potential. †¢ Flawless execution – Recognition of the responsibility inherent in our health care mission compels us to maintain the highest qu quality and on-time delivery. Johnson Johnson companies have the freedom to develop customized strategies that best contribute to their own growth as well as to the fulfillment of our global business strategy. In this way, our small-company environment contributes directly and uniquely to our big-company impact. Developing capable, values-based leaders Much of our success is the result of skilled leaders who have made smart choices over the years. Johnson Johnson companies rely on the ongoing development of leaders who †¢ Demonstrate integrity, passion, and the ability to set a vision and inspire organizations †¢ Create and value stimulating environments, learning and growth opportunities, and collaborative settings †¢ Guide business growth †¢ Champion adherence to the values of Our Credo Looking to the future, we are placing more emphasis than ever on the attraction, acquisition, and development of capable, values-based leaders. The convergence of technology with talent in our organization opens up new doors for our employees to facilitate exciting innovations across many platforms. Our Global Leadership Profile serves as a framework for developing and assessing future leaders around the world. It defines the leadership behaviors we value in employees at all levels. Our greatest potential is realized when we help employees realize their greatest potential. To help cultivate the leadership capabilities of every individual, we continually assess our talent management processes, tools, and leadership effectiveness. Johnson Johnson is committed to developing the talents and skills of our employees in order to position them to solve the health care needs of the future. [pic][pic][pic][pic][pic][pic][pic][pic][pic][pic][pic][pic][pic][pic][pic][pic][pic][pic][pic][pic][pic][pic][pic][pic][pic][pic][pic] How to cite Introduction of Johnson Johnson, Papers

The hand that signed the paper Essay Example For Students

The hand that signed the paper Essay Thomas reiterates the power of the hand with this final line in stanza three, Great is the hand that holds dominion over / Man by a scribbled name. Thomas is revealing that his hand works with anyone with authority. It is possible that a single signature could control millions of lives. This could refer to either the initiation of the conflict or the resolution. The final stanza pursues the history of the war. The five kings count the dead. This is Thomas equating the fact that it is the victors who end up writing history. but do not soften / The crusted wound nor pat the brow. We will write a custom essay on The hand that signed the paper specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now This charges the five kings with a further bitterness, as there is no sympathy shown toward the sixth king. This is further reinforced by the final line in the poem Hands have no tears to flow. Dylan Thomas expresses youthful concerns with this poem. The poem could be considered unsubtle in its intentions, and is not nearly as distinctive as his later poetry. Using the Hand as a figurative extension for both men and the five nations that signed a treaty, which damned Germany to financial and social misery; Thomas has written a poem whose moral is clear: Lopsided diplomacy will always fail. To have five kings doing a king to death is a powerful metaphor for what happens when that lopsidedness prevails. The poems narrative through battle, diplomacy, aftereffect and chronicle serves to provide a linear temporality to the poem which in turn heightens the poems effect. To have a recognizable and relatable course of events helps to ground the work in a familiar reality. Thomas is offering a mirror in this poem which Britain and the United States in particular are invited to look into. It is prescient writing for 1933, and Dylan Thomas would have to have been tuned in to understand the consequence of history. The further capitulation by Britain to Germany after this poem was written would ignite a Second World War that had already been fueled by two decades of social and economic anxiety. Thomas traces that anxiety to five kings crippling a sixth. An aspect of the poem that I feel I am not capable of doing justice with this particular essay is Thomas unique use of sound and rhyme. Thomas would become famous for his musicality, and his deft use of that talent in this particular poem elicits a surreal beauty. There are elements of alliteration present as well as a strange yet comfortable meter. It is comfortable in the sense that the rhythm of syllables is never jarring. What I sought to accomplish with this paper was, to provide a meaning and a foundation for the poem. It will have to be someone elses responsibility to dissect every subtle sound and interpret the poems rolling rhythm. Works Cited: 1. T. S. Eliot, Tradition and the Individual Talent, The Sacred Wood, 2nd edn (London: Methuen, 1928), p. 55. 2. Allen Ginsberg, Lewis Hyde On the Poetry of Allen Ginsberg (University of Michigan Press, 1984), p. 96 3. H. Wickham Steed, The Future in Europe International Affairs (Royal Institute of International Affairs 1931-1939), Vol. 12, No. 6 (Nov. , 1933), pp. 744-762 4. Dylan Thomas, Poetic Manifesto The Norton Anthology of Modern and Contemporary Poetry (2003 W. W. Norton Company Inc. ) Vol 2. p. 1062 5. T. S. Eliot, The Metaphysical Poets, Selected Essays, 2nd edn (London:Faber,1934), p. 288. 1 T. S. Eliot, Tradition and the Individual Talent, The Sacred Wood, 2nd edn (London: Methuen, 1928), p. 55. 2 Allen Ginsberg, Lewis Hyde On the Poetry of Allen Ginsberg (University of Michigan Press, 1984), p. 96 3 ibid. 4 H. .u4b5d06ef5ea1300dedcb7017acb8393a , .u4b5d06ef5ea1300dedcb7017acb8393a .postImageUrl , .u4b5d06ef5ea1300dedcb7017acb8393a .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u4b5d06ef5ea1300dedcb7017acb8393a , .u4b5d06ef5ea1300dedcb7017acb8393a:hover , .u4b5d06ef5ea1300dedcb7017acb8393a:visited , .u4b5d06ef5ea1300dedcb7017acb8393a:active { border:0!important; } .u4b5d06ef5ea1300dedcb7017acb8393a .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u4b5d06ef5ea1300dedcb7017acb8393a { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u4b5d06ef5ea1300dedcb7017acb8393a:active , .u4b5d06ef5ea1300dedcb7017acb8393a:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u4b5d06ef5ea1300dedcb7017acb8393a .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u4b5d06ef5ea1300dedcb7017acb8393a .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u4b5d06ef5ea1300dedcb7017acb8393a .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u4b5d06ef5ea1300dedcb7017acb8393a .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u4b5d06ef5ea1300dedcb7017acb8393a:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u4b5d06ef5ea1300dedcb7017acb8393a .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u4b5d06ef5ea1300dedcb7017acb8393a .u4b5d06ef5ea1300dedcb7017acb8393a-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u4b5d06ef5ea1300dedcb7017acb8393a:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: The Tell-Tale Heart and Symbolism EssayWickham Steed, The Future in Europe International Affairs (Royal Institute of International Affairs 1931-1939), Vol. 12, No. 6 (Nov. , 1933), pp. 744-762 5 Dylan Thomas, Poetic Manifesto The Norton Anthology of Modern and Contemporary Poetry (2003 W. W. Norton Company Inc. ) Vol 2. p. 1062 6 T. S. Eliot, The Metaphysical Poets, Selected Essays, 2nd edn (London: Faber,1934), p. 288. Randolph 1 Show preview only The above preview is unformatted text This student written piece of work is one of many that can be found in our University Degree Other Poets section.

Telecommunications

Telecommunications The transmission of words, sounds, images, or data in the form of electronic or electromagnetic signals or impulses. Transmission media include the telephone (using wire or optical cable), radio, television, microwave, and satellite. Data communication, the fastest growing field of telecommunication, is the process of transmitting data in digital form by wire or radio.Digital data can be generated directly in a 1/0 binary code by a computer or can be produced from a voice or visual signal by a process called encoding. A data communications network is created by interconnecting a large number of information sources so that data can flow freely among them. The data may consist of a specific item of information, a group of such items, or computer instructions. Examples include a news item, a bank transaction, a mailing address, a letter, a book, a mailing list, a bank statement, or a computer program.The devices used can be computers, terminals (devices that transmit and receive informa tion), and peripheral equipment such as printers (see Computer; Office Systems).Representative academic library LAN with external ...The transmission line used can be a normal or a specially purchased telephone line called a leased, or private, line (see Telephone). It can also take the form of a microwave or a communications-satellite linkage, or some combination of any of these various systems.Hardware and SoftwareEach telecommunications device uses hardware, which connects a device to the transmission line; and software, which makes it possible for a device to transmit information through the line.HardwareHardware usually consists of a transmitter and a cable interface, or, if the telephone is used as a transmission line, a modulator/demodulator, or modem.A transmitter prepares information for transmission by converting it from a form that the device uses (such as a clustered or parallel arrangement of electronic bits of information) to...

Siege of Leningrad in World War II

Siege of Leningrad in World War II The Siege of Leningrad took place from September 8, 1941 to January 27, 1944, during World War II. With the beginning of the invasion of the Soviet Union in June 1941, German forces, aided by the Finns, sought to capture the city of Leningrad. Fierce Soviet resistance prevented the city from falling, but the last road connection was severed that September. Though supplies could be brought across Lake Ladoga, Leningrad was effectively under siege. Subsequent German efforts to take the city failed and in early 1943 the Soviets were able to open a land route into Leningrad. Further Soviet operations finally relieved the city on January 27, 1944. The 827-day siege was one of the longest and costliest in history. Fast Facts: Siege of Leningrad Conflict: World War II (1939-1945)Dates: September 8, 1941 to January 27, 1944Commanders:AxisField Marshal Wilhelm Ritter von LeebField Marshal Georg von KÃ ¼chlerMarshal Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheimapprox. 725,000Soviet UnionMarshal Georgy ZhukovMarshal Kliment VoroshilovMarshal Leonid Govorovapprox. 930,000Casualties:Soviet Union: 1,017,881 killed, captured, or missing as well as 2,418,185 woundedAxis: 579,985 Background In planning for Operation Barbarossa, a key objective for German forces was the capture of Leningrad (St. Petersburg). Strategically situated at the head of the Gulf of Finland, the city possessed immense symbolic and industrial importance. Surging forward on June 22, 1941, Field Marshal Wilhelm Ritter von Leebs Army Group North anticipated a relatively easy campaign to secure Leningrad. In this mission, they were aided by Finnish forces, under Marshal Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim, which crossed the border with the goal of recovering territory recently lost in the Winter War. Field Marshal Wilhelm Ritter von Leeb. Â  Bundesarchiv, Bild 183-L08126 / CC-BY-SA 3.0 The Germans Approach Anticipating a German thrust towards Leningrad, Soviet leaders began fortifying the region around the city days after the invasion commenced. Creating the Leningrad Fortified Region, they built lines of defenses, anti-tank ditches, and barricades. Rolling through the Baltic states, 4th Panzer Group, followed by 18th Army, captured Ostrov and Pskov on July 10. Driving on, they soon took Narva and began planning for a thrust against Leningrad. Resuming the advance, Army Group North reached the Neva River on August 30 and severed the last railway into Leningrad (Map). Finnish Operations In support of the German operations, Finnish troops attacked down the Karelian Isthmus toward Leningrad, as well as advanced around the east side of Lake Ladoga. Directed by Mannerheim, they halted at the pre-Winter War border and dug in. To the east, Finnish forces halted at a line along the Svir River between Lakes Ladoga and Onega in East Karelia. Despite German pleas to renew their attacks, the Finns remained in these positions for the next three years and largely played a passive role in the Siege of Leningrad. Cutting Off the City On September 8, the Germans succeeding in cutting land access to Leningrad by capturing Shlisselburg. With the loss of this town, all supplies for Leningrad had to be transported across Lake Ladoga. Seeking to fully isolate the city, von Leeb drove east and captured Tikhvin on November 8. Halted by the Soviets, he was not able to link up with the Finns along the Svir River. A month later, Soviet counterattacks compelled von Leeb to abandon Tikhvin and retreat behind the River Volkhov. Unable to take Leningrad by assault, German forces elected to conduct a siege. The Population Suffers Enduring frequent bombardment, the population of Leningrad soon began to suffer as food and fuel supplies dwindled. With the onset of winter, supplies for the city crossed the frozen surface of Lake Ladoga on the Road of Life but these proved insufficient to prevent widespread starvation. Through the winter of 1941-1942, hundreds died daily and some in Leningrad resorted to cannibalism. In an effort to alleviate the situation, attempts were made to evacuate civilians. While this did help, the trip across the lake proved extremely hazardous and saw many lose their lives en route. Trying to Relieve the City In January 1942, von Leeb departed as commander of Army Group North and was replaced by Field Marshal Georg von KÃ ¼chler. Shortly after taking command, he defeated an offensive by the Soviet 2nd Shock Army near Lyuban. Beginning in April 1942, von KÃ ¼chler was opposed by Marshal Leonid Govorov who oversaw the Leningrad Front. Seeking to end the stalemate, he began planning Operation Nordlicht, utilizing troops recently made available after the capture of Sevastopol. Unaware of the German build-up, Govorov and Volkhov Front commander Marshal Kirill Meretskov commenced the Sinyavino Offensive in August 1942. Marshal Leonid Govorov. Public Domain Though the Soviets initially made gains, they were halted as von KÃ ¼chler shifted troops intended for Nordlicht into the fight. Counterattacking in late September, the Germans succeeded in cutting off and destroying parts of the 8th Army and 2nd Shock Army. The fighting also saw the debut of the new Tiger tank. As the city continued to suffer, the two Soviet commanders planned Operation Iskra. Launched on January 12, 1943, it continued through the end of the month and saw the 67th Army and 2nd Shock Army open a narrow land corridor to Leningrad along the south shore of Lake Ladoga. Relief at Last Though a tenuous connection, a railroad was quickly built through the area to aid in supplying the city. Through the remainder of 1943, the Soviets conducted minor operations in an effort to improve access to the city. In an effort to end the siege and fully relieve the city, the Leningrad-Novgorod Strategic Offensive was launched on January 14, 1944. Operating in conjunction with the First and Second Baltic Fronts, the Leningrad and Volkhov Fronts overwhelmed the Germans and drove them back. Advancing, the Soviets recaptured the Moscow-Leningrad Railroad on January 26. On January 27, Soviet leader Joseph Stalin declared an official end to the siege. The citys safety was fully secured that summer, when an offensive began against the Finns. Dubbed the Vyborg–Petrozavodsk Offensive, the attack pushed the Finns back towards the border before stalling. Aftermath Lasting 827 days, the Siege of Leningrad was one of the longest in history. It also proved one of the costliest, with Soviet forces incurring around 1,017,881 killed, captured, or missing as well as 2,418,185 wounded. Civilian deaths are estimated at between 670,000 and 1.5 million. Ravaged by the siege, Leningrad had a pre-war population in excess of 3 million. By January 1944, only around 700,000 remained in the city. For its heroism during World War II, Stalin designed Leningrad a Hero City on May 1, 1945. This was reaffirmed in 1965 and the city was given the Order of Lenin.

Marketing trends Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Marketing trends - Assignment Example It is vital that business entities realise this, and try to make consumers feel satisfied. Without customer satisfaction, the business has not achieved its core objective. Consumer movement is the collective movement that exists among consumers (Higham, 2009). It exists in order to protect the interests of consumers in the region. People still have no idea of their rights when it comes to the purchase of products. This movement is there to ensure consumers get the right treatment from business owners. It unites consumers with the aim of enabling them to fight for their rights. It is similar to trade unions. Branding offers consistency. It is hard for consumers to remain loyal to products if the brand labels keep changing. Consumer loyalty is vital in any business field. This brings the need to have a consistent brand that consumers can relate to, without having doubts. One importance of branding is the identity it creates (Higham, 2009). Identity is a key component in the retention of clients. Brands are symbols of what people have come to love and appreciate. Although they may sometimes look old, it is up to the organization to determine if a change in brand can cause a shift in customer loyalty. One of the major effects of online marketing is the website traffic that may increase after time. It is a well-known fact that, many individuals spend most of the working hours online. With online marketing, it becomes easier to look for products and goods to purchase. If millions of people did this in an hour, the traffic created may be immense and result in site traffic. Online marketing strategies need to have numerous, comprehensive campaigns. That means that, an immense proportion of folks need to be involved in the progression (Ferrell & Hartline, 2010). Internet marketing increases the chances of sales. As a means of advertising, it is a new method of reaching consumers, while giving them time to do other activities.

Reading response Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 15

Reading response - Essay Example Craft is a very important component that helps people to be creative as well as promotes culture. Craft has been narrowly considered based on what is cute and what is not. The perception that craft entails ugly, old-fashioned and things made by some old man or woman is misplaced and does not hold any water. Craft is supposed to be more of creativity and use of ones hands to facilitate that creativity. The scope of craft is unlimited; it can range from simple things such as developing a picture frame to complex aspects such as decorating huge structures. The objective of doing all these things is not solely to make a place look cute and neat but to add some reasonable value to the place. What matters is the creativity that has been utilized. Eliminating the view that craft is some big and complex thing that should be done for the sake of competitions and embracing it in daily activities can help save. Handmade craft is cost effective and it helps an individual customize their environment depending on what they are pleased with. However, it should not always cost effective; sometimes it may be necessary to develop a less costly product after destroying a more costly one. The bottom line should be, what is it that pleases an individual and they are able to afford it. Taking care of individual taste is very beneficial since it dives a personal satisfaction as well as promotes longevity of use. It is difficult to judge a piece of crafted based on any parameters. The first thing is that craft has a lot of biasness depending on the individual. For example, the â€Å"Craft Wars† show is biased because it relies on the judgment of two or three judges who give their own personal view. To eliminate this biasness, all the participants can do a vote on such a show so that the will of the majority prevails. It is not right to narrow down the works of craft on the perception of a few. Craft is very beneficial and every person should attempt to develop some work of

Laminar Air-flow to Control Operating Room Infection

Laminar Air-flow to Control Operating Room Infection INTRODUCTION Surgical site infections (SSIs) are defined as infections occurring within 30 days after surgical operation or within one year if an implant is left in place and affecting either the incision or deep tissue at the operation site (Owens and Stoessel 2008). SSIs are reported as the major cause of high morbidity and mortality among post -operative patients (Weigelt et.al. 2010). According to UK National Joint Registry Report, during 2003 -2006 period infection was responsible for about 19 % failure of joint surgery resulting in revision procedures (Sandiford and skinner 2009). Micro-organisms in the air particles settle on the wound, dressings and surgical instruments and cause infections (Chow and Yang 2005). Whyte et.al (1982) identified that contamination from patients skin as the cause of infection in 2% cases and from theatre personnel in 98% cases. They also found that in 30% cases, contaminants reach the wound from theatre personnel via air and in 70% cases it is via hands. Generally air quality in the operating room is maintained ventilation system. Additional improvements can be achieved by laminar air-flow system or UV lights. Laminar air-flow system is expensive and require continues maintenance. Its installation increases building cost and the operational cost (Cacciariet.al., 2004: Hansen, 2005). Studies conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of laminar flow produced mixed results and there is no consensus on its role in infection control (Sandiford 2007). In this setting, this paper reviews the recent studies to examine the effectiveness of laminar air-flow in reducing SSIs. Studies for this review were found by searching on databases such as CINAHL, PubMed, Science Direct, Ovidsp, Science Citation Index (ISI) and Google scholar. Keywords used for this search are laminar air flow, surgical site infection, operating room air quality, airborne infections + operating theatre, LMA + infection control. As laminar air-flow is used mainly in orthopaedic theatres, majority of the studies are on joint surgery. OPERATING THEATRE AIR QUALITY AND INFECTION CONTROL Indoor air in an operating theatre contains dust which consists of substances released from disinfectant and sterilizers, respiratory droplets, insect parts smoke released from cautry. Dust particles act as a carrier for transporting microorganisms laden particles and can settle on surgical wound and there by cause infection (Neil 2005). Air particles are found to be responsible for about 80% 90% of microbial contamination (CDC 2005). Modern operating theatres are generally equipped with conventional ventilation system in which filters can remove airborne particles of size >5mm about 80-95% (Dharan 2002). The efficacy of operating room ventilation is measured by the colony forming units (CFU) of organisms present per cubic meter. The conventional ventilation (Plenum) with 20 air exchanges is considered efficient if it achieves the colony count of 35cfu/m3 or less (Bannister 2002). Ventilation system with laminar air-flow directs the air-flow in one direction and sweeps the air particle over the wound site to the exits (CDC 2003). Laminar air-flow with HEPA (High Efficiency Particulate Arrestment) filters system has the capacity to remove air particles of size 0.3  µm up to 99.9 % and can produce 300 air exchanges per hour in ultraclean orthopaedic theatres. (Sandiford and skinner 2009). Laminar air-flow units are generally two types; ceiling-mounted (vertical flow) or wall-mounted (horizontal flow). There are inconveniences associated with both types. Generally the major problem associated with laminar air-flow is flow disruption. With vertical laminar flow, it is the heat generated by surgical lamps creates air turbulence while with horizontal laminar flow it is the surgical team that disrupt the air-flow (Dharan 2002). LAMINAR AIR FLOW IN INFECTION CONTROLL Laminar air-flow system is mainly used in implant surgeries where even a small number of microorganisms can cause infection. In joint replacement surgeries, one of the main causes of early (within 3 months) and delayed (within 18 months to 2 years) deep prosthetic infections was found colonisation during surgery (Knobben 2006). Laminar air flow is supposed to minimize contamination by mobilizing uniform and large volume of clean air to the surgical area and Contaminants are flushed out instantly (Chow and Yang, 2004). Some studies found that this method is effective in reducing infection but some others produced contradicting results (give some reference) A recent study conducted by Kakwani et.al. (2007) found that laminar air-flow system is effective in reducing the reoperation rate in Austin-Moore hemiarthroplasty. Their study compared the reoperation rate between theatres with laminar air-flow and theatres without laminar air-flow system. A cohort of 435 patients who had Austin-Moore hemiarthroplasties at Good Hope Hospital in Birmingham between August 2000 and July 2004 were selected for this study. Of those 435 patients, 212 had operation in laminar air-flow theatres and 223 had operation in non-laminar air-flow theatres. Data were collected by reviewing case notes and radiographs. For all cases antibiotics were administrated and water impervious surgical gowns and drapes were used. In the non-laminar air-flow group it was found that the re-operation rate for all indication in the first year after hemiarthroplasties was 5.8 % (13/223), while in the laminar air-flow group it was 1.4% (3/212). Analysis found that there were no stat istically significant relation between re-operation rate and water impervious gown and drapes (p=0.15), while use of laminar air-flow found a statistically significant drop (p=0.0285) in re-operation rate within the first year after hemiarthroplasties. They found that re-operation rate in no-laminar air-flow theatres were four times greater than that in laminar airflow theatres. Even though the aim of the study was clearly described there was no review of existing studies to identify the gap in the research. Study methods and details of statistical analysis were given elaborately. The sample size seems sufficient. Results were summarized and presented using graphs and charts. Discussion of results was short and seems not adequate to address the objectives of the study. There was no attempt to explain the casual relationship. For example researches were making statements such as à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦the introduction of water-impervious drapes and gowns did not seem to make a statistically significant improvement in the resultà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. (p.823). Researchers failed to acknowledge any limitations of the study. Data for this study was collected by reviewing patients records. Patients records are considers as confidential and researchers didnt mention whether they received consent from the patients or ethical approval form institution to conduct the study. This ca n be considered as an ethical flaw of this study. There are studies which found that laminar air-flow system is not effective in reducing infection rate. In their study Brandt C et.al (2008) found that infection rate was substantially high in theatres with laminar air-flow system. This was a retrospective cohort-study based on routine surveillance data from German national nosocomial infections surveillance system (KISS). Hospitals which had performed at least 100 operations between the years 2000 and 2004 were selected for this study. Type of ventilation technology installed in operation rooms of selected hospitals were collected separately through questionnaire from infection control teams in the participating hospitals. Surgical departments were grouped into categories according to the type of ventilation system installed. Departments using artificial operating room (OR) ventilation with either turbulent or laminar airflow was included in this study. Total 63 surgical departments from 55 hospitals were included in this study. Analysis was performed to the data set created by merging the questionnaire data on OR ventilation and surveillance data from the KISS data base. The data set analysed contained 99230 operations with 1901 SSIs. Age and gender of the patient was found a significant risk factor of SSI in most procedures. Univariate analysis conducted found that rate of SSIs was high in departments with laminar air flow ventilation. Multivariate analysis also confirmed this finding. Authors argue that it may be due to the improper positioning theatre personnel in horizontal laminar flow room. Researches provided a well-researched literature review which clearly identified gap in current research. Objectives and design of the study was properly explained. Study was based on a large sample size. Results were discussed in detail and casual relations were well explained. Enough tables were used to present results. Limitations were properly discussed. Knobben et.al (2006) conducted an experimental study to evaluate how systemic changes together with behavioural changes can decreases intra-operative contamination. This study was conducted in the university Medical Centre Groningen, The Netherlands. A random sample of 207 surgical procedures which involved total knee or hip prosthesis from July 2001 to January 2004 was selected for this study. Two sequential series of behavioural and systemic changes were introduced to ascertain their role in reducing intra-operative contamination. The control group consisted 70 cases. Behavioural changes (correct use of plenum) were introduced to the first intervention group of 67 operations. Intense behavioural and systemic changes were introduced to second intervention group of 70 operations. The systemic changes introduced was the installation of new laminar flow with improved airflow from 2700m3/h to 8100m3/h. Two samples each were taken from used instruments, unused instruments and removed bon es. Control swabs were also collected to make sure that contamination was not occurred during transport and culturing. Early and late intra-operative contamination was also checked. All patients were monitored for any wound discharge while in hospital and followed-up for 18 months to check whether intra-operative contamination affects post-operative infection. Among the control group contamination was found 32.9% while in intervention group 1 it was 34.3% and in intervention group 2 it was 8.6%. Except in Group 1 (p=0.022) late phase contamination was not significantly higher than early phase contamination. During the control period wound discharge was found in 22.9% patients and 11.4% of them had wound infection later. Deep periprosthetic infection had been found in 7.1% of them in the follow-up period. Deep periprosthetic infection was found in 4.5% cases of first intervention group and in 1.4% of cases in second intervention group in the follow-up period. But none of these decreases were found statistically significant. Contamination, prolonged wound discharge and superficial surgical site infection were found decreased after both first and second intervention. But a statistically significant reduction was found only in second intervention (contamination p=0.001, wound discharge p=0.002 and superficial SSI p=0.004). This study concluded that behaviour modifications together with improved air flow system can reduce intra-operative contamination substantially. Purpose of the study was clearly defined and a good review of the current literature has given. Gap in current research was clearly presented and justification for the study had given. Sample size seems sufficient. It is reported that à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.bacterial cultures were taken during 207 random operationsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ (p. 176), but no details of the sampling method used were provided. Details of interventions were given elaborately and results were discussed in detail. But only one table and two charts used to present it. The readers would have been more benefited if more tables were used to present the results. Discussions of the results were concise and findings were specific and satisfying the objective. No information on whether they received informed consent from the patients and approval form the ethical committee of the institution was missing. This arise a serious question about the ethics of this study. It is found that laminar airflow is more effective when use in conjunction with occlusive clothing (Charnley, 1969 cited in Sandiford and Skinner 2009). While in their recent study Miner et.al (2007) compared the effectiveness of laminar airflow system and body exhaust suits found that body exhaust suits are more effective than laminar flow system in reducing infection. For their study Miner et.al (2007) selected 411 hospitals which have submitted the claim for total knee surgery (TKR) for the year 2000 from four US States were surveyed to collect the details of use of laminar air flow system and body exhaust suits. Those hospitals which were fulfilled three criteria were included in this study. The inclusion criteria were 1) returned the survey instrument, 2) using laminar air flow system or body exhaust suits for infection control and 3) was evidence of at least one Medicare claim for TKR for the study period. Total 8288 TKRs performed in 256 hospitals between 1st January and 30th August 2000 were selected. Data on patient outcomes after total knee replacement (TKR) were collected from Medicare claims. The patients who underwent bilateral TKR were not included in this study and for those who underwent a second TKR during a separate hospitalisation during the study period, only the first procedure was included. International Classification of Disea ses, Ninth Revision (ICDS-9) codes was used to identify post-operative deep infection that needed additional operation. Hospitals were grouped as users or non-users for both laminar airflow and body exhaust suits. Users were defined as those who use any of these methods in more than 75% procedures and non-users were those use any methods less than 75%. The over-all 90-day incidence of deep infection, subsequent operation was found required only in 28 cases (that is 0.34%). Analysis found that the risk ratio for laminar airflow system was higher (1.57, 95% confidence interval 0.75-3.31) than body exhaust suits (0.75, 95% confidence interval 0.34-1.62). Study found that there were no significant differences in infection between hospitals that use specific either protective measure. Other than mentioning few studies researchers failed to provide any background of the research problem. Methods used for this study were explained concisely. Even though the sample size was large, limited number of events (28) were there to be observed. Analysis was based on this small number of events; this may have affected the result. Not many variables were included in this study, and researchers didnt mention how they controlled some possible confounders. Researchers were successful in identifying the advantages and limitations of the study. Results were properly presented in tables. Instead of expensive laminar air-flow system, installation of well-designed ventilation system is found beneficial. Scaltriti et.al (2007) conducted a study in Italy to examine effectiveness of well-designed ventilation system on air quality in operation theatre. They selected operation theatres of a newly built 300 beds community hospital which have ventilation system designed to achieve 15 complete outdoor air changes per hour and are equipped with 0.3  µm, 99.97% HEPA filters. All these satisfy the condition for a clean room as per ISO 7 standard. Passive samples of microbiological air counts were collected using Tripticase Soy Agar 90 mm plates left open thorough out the duration of the procedure. Active samples were also collected using a single state slit-type impactor. Total 82 microbiological samples were collected of which 69 were passive plates and 13 were active. Air dust was counted with a light-scattering particle analyser. Details of the surgery, number of people in the room, door opening rate and estimated total use of the electrocautery unit were also collected. It was found that there were positive correlations between particle contamination, surgical technique (higher risk from general conventional surgery), electrocauterization and operation length. Door opening rate was found negatively associated. Researchers suggest that this may because when theatre door open a turbulent air flow blows out of the operating room which may result decrease in the dust particles. No association was found between particle contamination and number of people present at the time of incision. Researchers suggest that human movement rather than human presence is the factor that determines airborne microbial contamination. It was found that average particle concentration in the theatres did not exceed the European ISO 14 644 standard limits for ISO 7 clean room, and so concluded that well-designed ventilation system is effective in limiting particulate contamination. Uncultivable or unidentifiable organisms can also be a reason for surgical site infections. It may be difficult to identify such organisms through standard culture techniques (Tunney 1998). Clarke et.al (2004) conducted a quantitative study to examine the effectiveness of ultra-clean (vertical laminar flow) theatres in preventing infections by unidentifiable organisms. They used the molecular technique, Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR), to detect bacteria presence. Their study compared the wound contamination during primary total hip replacement (THR) performed in standard and ultra clean operation theatres. 20 patients underwent primary THR from 1999 to 2001 were recruited for this study. Patients with previous incidents of joint surgery or infection were excluded. The standard operation theatres had 20 air changes per hour and CFU count was 50 CFU/m3, while ultra-modern theatres had 530 air changes per hour and CFU count was 3 CFU/m3. For all surgeries same infection control precautions were used. Two specimens each of pericapsular tissues were collected from posterior joint capsule both at the beginning and at the end of the surgery (total 80 samples). Patients were given antibiotic prophylaxis after taking the first specimen. All these samples were underwent Gram stain and culture to detect bacterial colonies and Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) to detect bacterial DNA. Among the 20 specimens taken form the standard operation theatres at the beginning of the surgery only 3 were found positive with PCR, while from the ultra-clean theatres only 2 were found positive. None from both theatres found positive with culture. Samples from the standard theatres taken at the end of the surgery, 2 found positive by culture and 9 found positive by PCR. The contamination rate in the standard theatre at the end of the surgery found significantly greater than the beginning (p=0.04). Samples taken from the ultra-clean theatres, none was positive by culture while only 6 were positive by PCR. Statistical analysis found that contamination rate at the end of the surgery is not statistically different than the start (p=0.1). It was found that there were no statistically significant difference in overall contamination rate (p=0.3) between standard and ultra clean theatres. (I will add critique of this study here) NURSES ROLE IN INFECTION CONTROL Understanding the source of contamination in operating theatre and knowing the relationship between bacterial virulence, patient immune status and wound environment will help in improving the infection rates (Byrne et al 2007). Nurses are responsible to take a proactive role in ensuring safety of their patients. To improve patient outcome, it is necessary for the nurses to take lead role in environmental control and identifying hazards through environmental surveillance (Neil 2005). Non-adherence to the principle of asepsis by surgical team is identified as a significant risk factor of infections. Hectic movement of surgical team members in the operating room and presence of one or more visitors were also found as major causes of SSI (Beldi G 2009). Nurses and managers should emphasise on controlling factors like the traffic in theatre, limiting the number of staff and reinforcement of strict aseptic technique (Allen 2010). Creedon (2005) argues that infections can reduce up to one third if staffs follow best practice principles. For better outcome staffs needs additional education and positive reinforcement. Nurses have a vital role in the development, reviewing and approving of patient care policies regarding infection control. Nurses are not only responsible for practicing the aseptic techniques but also responsible for monitoring other staff for their adherence to policies. They are responsible for developing training programmes for members of staff. Educating the environmental services personnel like technicians, cleaners will not only improve their knowledge in patient care but also provide a sense of commitment in patient outcomes (Neil 2005). Perioperative nurses can contribute in research regarding theatre ventilation system through organised data collection and documenting evidences. Nurses can contribute in giving optimum and safe delivery of care in areas where environmental issues can put the patient at risk. Knowledge is changing fast, so it is important that staff must keep themselves up to date. Continues quality improvement is needed and it should be based on evidence based research and on-going assessment of information (Hughes 2009). CONCLUSION Reviews of current research shows that still there is a lack consensus on the effectiveness of laminar airflow in infection control. Studies include in this review has used either clinical outcomes (infection or reoperation rate) or intermediate outcomes (particle count or bacterial count) to evaluate the effectiveness of laminar flow. Kakwani et.al (2007) found that re-operation rate was lower in laminar airflow theatres but Brandt et.al (2008) found SSI rate was high in hospitals with laminar flow. Clarke et.al (2004) found that contamination was not significantly different in ultra clean theatres compared to standard theatres equipped enhanced ventilation system. Supporting this finding Scaltriti et.al (2007) found well designed ventilation system is effective in reducing contamination. Study by Knobben et.al (2006) found that combination of systemic and behavioural changes are required to prevent intra-operative contamination. Miner et.al (2007) found that there were no significant differences in infection between hospitals that use laminar airflow and body exhaust suits. From these studies it can be concluded that use of laminar airflow alone can guarantee infection prevention. Behavioural and other systemic changes are necessary to enhance the benefits of laminar airflow. Evidence shows that conventional theatres equipped with enhanced ventilation system can prevent infection effectively, this can be consider as an alternative for expensive as laminar flow system.