The Treaty of Versailles Essay

Treaty of Versailles Essay During World War One, there was massive devastation done to the Allies and the Central Powers and will be remembered for many years to come. The peace treaty that ended the war was called the Treaty of Versailles and its consequences would have far reaching impact. The Great War was fought using trench warfare and a stalemate was created. On the Western front France was fighting Germany, there were many casualties, 15 million soldiers were seriously injured, 7 million were permanently disabled and 8 million were killed.There was major destruction to land, property and empires were destroyed: The German, Austro-Hungarian, Ottoman and Russian. It was a total war; it took all resources from countries and caused food shortages. By the end of the war, famine had killed millions of people and diseases flourished in the wartime conditions. In 1917 the Americans came into the war and the Russians left. Finally the stalemate is broken and Germany made an extremely h arsh treaty with Russia. The victorious countries were furious, they blamed Germany for starting the war and causing so much devastation to their countries.They wanted Germany to pay, so the Allies created a treaty which held Germany responsible for WW1. The second cause of the Treaty was the Big Three setting the stage for the treaty with their aims and attitudes. Woodrow Wilson (President of the U. S) wanted to end war by making a fair peace. He wanted disarmament and a League of Nations set up, where countries could settle their problems without war. David Lloyd George (Prime Minister of Britain), wanted justice, not revenge. He said the treaty must not be harsh because that in return would just cause another war in a few years time.By far the harshest of all the Big Three was George Clemenceau the Prime Minister of France. Most of the war had been fought in France, so he wanted revenge and to punish the Germans for the massive destruction they had done to France. He also wanted Germany broken up (weakened), so that France couldn’t be invaded again. Basically Clemenceau’s aim was to completely shatter Germany. The terms of the treaty include – blame for the war (cause 231, war guilt), high reparations, army restrictions and loss of territory.In addition to the huge loss Germany had already suffered, the worst of it all had to be the extreme amount of reparations. A figure was set in 1921 of ? 6,600. 000 million. Germany was seriously disadvantaged, because reparations economically crippled them. The first of the payments were made in 1922 (only just), and in 1923 Germany falls behind on payments. France gets angry and invades the Ruhr, in the Ruhr the German workers go on strike and to pay them the government prints more money, which creates hyperinflation. This meant it was cheaper to burn money than firewood.The economy was hugely suffering and as a whole so the country. The Germans were angry for having to take blame for starting the war. Another consequence of the treaty was the League of Nations, which was apart of Woodrow Wilson’s 14 points. The league was very weak because the three big powers were not involved and they needed the big, powerful nations to strengthen the league. This was so they could have more authority, because hardly anybody listened to the League. It was pointless because there weren’t very strict penalties and if countries didn’t agree with the League they would just drop out.However the League did have a few successes, such as when they freed 200,000 slaves in Africa and Burma after they attacked slave traders. The League also worked to prevent malaria and leprosy as well as taking home half a million World War One prisoners of war. In addition to those successes the league also set up camps and fed Turkish refugees and sent economic experts to help Austria and Hungary. Although the League was relatively weak, they had a number of successes, but even the successes didn’t seem to overcome the failures of the League.Eventually when war broke out in 1939 the League closed down and ultimately failed to prevent war from happening. In conclusion World War One was the major cause of the Treaty of Versailles, along with the aims and attitudes of the Big Three, which caused an awfully harsh treaty to be created. This in turn economically crippled Germany, because of the huge reparations and also left the Germans feeling angry for having to take the blame for starting the war. The final consequence of the treaty mentioned in this essay was the formation of the League of Nations, which in time closed down because of more failure that success to prevent war.

Miracles: Possible of Not

It was not till the Enlightenment that the question began to be seriously asked, as to whether miracles are possible or not. Prior to this miracle was the substance of life in all strata of society, not only the unlettered. Belief in miracles emboldened belief per se. In the age of faith religion was the foundation of life, and belief in miracles indispensable to it. But with the rise of science and rationalism, and the corresponding demise of religion, the aspect of miracle too lost standing in the concerns of people. Where science was poised and eager to explain all observed phenomena, belief in miracles was an obvious casualty. According to David Hume’s definition, a miracle is â€Å"a transgression of a law of nature by a particular volition of the Deity, or by the interposition of some invisible agent† (1993, p. 77). The mere suggestion of a transgression of natural law was beginning to sound like a heresy to scientifically accustomed ears, even though attributed to the Deity. This paper examines the eighteenth century responses to the question of whether miracles or possible or not, and then broadens the scope to include modern and ancient perspectives. Hume was the first to tackle the question squarely, in the chapter titled â€Å"Of Miracles† in the 1948 publication An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding. From purely metaphysical considerations the conclusion is that miracles are indeed possible. We must remember that the core of Hume’s philosophy is empirical skepticism. The materialists, weaned on the mechanics of Newton, were pronouncing outright miracles impossible. The laws of motion and gravity were successfully explaining the heavenly bodies, and hardly anyone suspected that they were not universal in scope. Newtonian mechanics has no place for miracles. This was almost a proof of the invalidity of miracles. But the proud determinism that they espoused had no philosophical foundation to it. Descartes, and the Cartesians, tried desperately for a metaphysics of materialism, but to know avail. Finally Hume overthrew all the strained Cartesian designs, and advanced a devastating critique of reason, as applied to empirical sense data, to deliver objective knowledge. It turned Enlightenment thinking on its head. Knowledge is not possible, and yet miracles are. The philosophers of materialism were stuck on the question as to how it is at all possible that mind interacts with matter. This is indeed a miracle of the highest order, and Hume cannot help but paint the wonder that is inherent in such an idea: For first: Is there any principle in all nature more mysterious than the union of soul with body; by which a supposed spiritual substance acquires such an influence over a material one, that the most refined thought is able to actuate the grossest matter? (Ibid 43) Hume draws the conclusion that it is quite impossible to describe or explain such a thing. So we cannot talk about interaction at all, not even in the parallel case where one inanimate object imparts momentum to another. We talk about the first body causing motion in the second, but we cannot describe an interaction having taken place between cause and effect. We can only observe that the effect has followed the cause, as if two separated events conjoined in time. There is no necessity that the effect must always follow the cause. If we do come to such a conclusion it can only be due to the fact that we have become accustomed to expect such. He then probes into the situation where the effect is unexpected. It seems that the laws of nature has been violated, and we begin to pronounce that a miracle has occurred. But we are hasty to do so, Hume points out. Just because we expect a certain outcome doesn’t imply that natural law dictates the same. He offers the example of the Indian who has never known snow hails miracle when he sees it falling, because nothing in his experience has prepared him for it. Sometimes our science makes us feel that we know the sum extent of natural law. The essence of Hume’s philosophy is that we do not know natural law, and the extent of out ability, regards knowledge, is to infer from experience. He thus leaves room for divine intervention, for natural law is in the hands of the Almighty, only that Hume is not prone to listen to the tall tales of the coarse and the gullible regarding miracles: Though the Being to whom the miracle is ascribed, be Almighty, it [the miracle] does not, upon that account, become a whit more probable, since it is impossible for us to know the attributes or actions of such a Being, otherwise than from the experience of his productions, in the usual course of nature. This still reduces us to past observations†¦ (Ibid 89) Hume is virulent and protracted in his attack against the popular report of miracles, which he thinks has more to do with base psychology than with proper faith. The common lot is so eager to see miracles that it latches on to any hoax and fraud that comes its way, and this is what Hume finds despicable. Such an attitude is understandable coming from a philosopher of the Enlightenment. However, if he had shown a little more empathy towards the gullible he would have recognized that the yearning for miracle is but a testimony of its preciousness. A Chinese proverb reads: â€Å"The miracle is not to fly in the air, or to walk on the water, but to walk on the earth† (qtd. in Moore, 2006, p. 69). However, it does not feel like a partaking in a miracle while walking the earth in one’s daily odyssey of toil and tears. People need to see explicit miracles only to keep them in touch with the miracle of life itself. Prayer itself, as the Russian novelist Ivan Turgenev puts it, is prayer but for a miracle: â€Å"Every prayer reduces itself to this: ‘Great God grant that twice two be not four’† (qtd. in Andrews, 1987, p. 207). Some scientists are finally coming to accept that miracles are indeed possible. Not in the sense in which Hume described it, who defined a miracle as a violation of natural law. He too insists that natural law cannot be violated, and miracle in that sense is impossible. When we come across a miracle we recognize it as such because it violates natural law, only as far as our limited understanding of natural law is concerned. Experience has taught us to expect nature to behave in certain ways, and for all intents and purposes this is natural law for us, the observer. When we observe the unexpected we feel that natural law has been violated, but it may only a new experience for us, like the Indian that Hume describes as coming across the miracle of snow. Polkinghorne therefore suggests an alternative description of miracle, which is not a violation of nature, but instead â€Å"exploration of a new regime of physical experience† (2001, p. 59). All our expectations derive from custom, says Hume, and therefore our worldview is indeed a science of probabilities. That which we expect to happen is probable, but no one can vouchsafe it as certain. Therefore the door is always left open to the improbable. All miracles must find berth in the bracket of improbability. If Hume put it so before the advent of modern science, at the very frontiers of that same science the verdict came back the same. Scientists are by and large determinists, as regards their philosophy. Indeed, the must be so necessarily, for the method of science, as outlined by Francis Bacon in the seventeenth century, induces from empirical evidence the fixed laws of nature. As he asserts in the New Organon, â€Å"I open and lay out a new and certain path for the mind to proceed in, starting directly from the simple sensuous perception† [italics my own] (7). The entire rationale behind such a method is the promise of certainty, as regards knowledge. All scientists necessarily have this object in view, as followers of the method of Bacon. It is agreed among them that the apex of this science is quantum physics. According to this discipline, there is no certain knowledge, not of an atomic particle’s position, nor of its velocity. The rule is codified in Heisenberg’s principle of uncertainty. It lays out a science of probabilities, with the aid of the highest mathematics and the most advanced principles of physics. Yet the essence of it is exactly the same as what Hume put forward as â€Å"custom†. In conclusion, we declare miracles possible or not depending on how we define a miracle. If we insist that it is a violation of natural law, then we must declare it impossible. On the other hand, if it is a highly improbable event, then it is by definition possible. We must remember that the realm of the improbable contains things beyond our wildest expectations, and therefore if we come across such we may mistake it for a violation of nature. References Andrews, R. (1987). The Routledge Dictionary of Quotations. New York: Routledge. Bacon, F. (2000). The New Organon. L. Jardine, M. Silverthorne (Eds.) Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Hume, D. (1993). An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding. E. Steinberg (Ed.) Boston: Hackett Publishing. Moore, D. (2006). Zen Wisdom: Magnetic Quotes and Proverbs. Kennebunkport, ME: Cider Mill Press Book Publishers. Polkinghorne, J. C. (2001). Faith, Science and Understanding. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press.

Assignment 2 PSA test Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Assignment 2 PSA test - Essay Example Prostate-specific antigen exists in small amounts in the serum of people with fit prostates but is frequently elevated in the existence of prostate cancer or other prostate turmoil. Though serum, prostate-specific antigen, measurement is frequently applied in prostate cancer screening. Its cost is controversial (Craig 23). The Prostate Cancer Research Foundation of Canada (PCRFC) does not advocate for its regular use by healthy men. The PCRFC found that PSA-based prostate cancer screening show small or missing reductions in prostate-cancer–specific deaths, and is linked to overtreatment and over diagnosis. This paper will discuss prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test in Canada and determine the level of the test’s use in prostate cancer screening. It will discuss whether the procedure is cost effective and estimate how much money is wasted in the procedure. Finally, it will discuss alternative procedures that are cost effective to the consumers. The prostate-specific antigen test determines the blood level of PSA, enzyme formed by the prostate. Prostate-specific antigen is a serine protease comparable to kallikrein-3. Its function is to liquefy gelatinous semen once ejaculation is carried out, permitting spermatozoa to steer through the uterine cervix. Prostate-specific antigen testing is contentious and may bring unnecessary and damaging effects in some patients. Ever since PSA screening was initiated in Canada, more than a million men in the country have been diagnosed and cured of prostate cancer (Pickles 4). It has been projected that the vast majority, more than 90% of men, get no benefit from this diagnosis. Even though a person makes a positive assumption regarding the advantage of screening, less than 10% of men getting a positive diagnosis receive any benefit at all from it. Positive assumption refers to the entire decline in prostate cancer deaths witnessed since the opening of PSA testing. Other studies,

Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 11

Case Study Example Since India’s GDP was low, the vast majority of the population could only afford two wheeler vehicles. The strategies employed in ensuring that the Nano met all demands by the non-four-wheeler customers included ensuring that it was affordable for this portion of the population. It was priced at only 1 Lakh making it the cheapest car. In addition, it met high fuel efficiency standards and met all safety standards that the two wheelers could not meet. For these reasons, people placed orders before they had even seen the car. There were several hurdles that the Nano had to address in the market. First, the Nano had to ensure that it offered better services than the two-wheeler by becoming a safe, all-weather vehicle. In addition, it had to be affordable. Second, the car had to be designed in a way that it promised an upward social mobility. Third, the designers could not compromise the buyers so as to ensure low cost car. For instance, they could not design it being a two door vehicle since this would reduce accessibility to rear seats. In spite of the huge initial orders, there were obstacles which resulted in poor sales. First, Tata did not have its own distribution channels; therefore, it resorted to using the traditional dealerships, which had limited space. Although this was a main issue Tata resulted to using other outlets so as to make the showrooms available in many cities in India. For instance, the company tied up with Big Bazaar to display the vehicles in smaller cities. Additionally, two wheeler customers who were the main target were turned off by the perception of the Nano being the cheapest car as people wanted to upgrade their social status. Second, Tata also had a production problem since the interim facilities’ production was low. Third, the company had issues with local communities who protested the use of arable land for industrial uses. This is one of the main obstacles that affected the progress of the Nano

Do labor unions increase the wages of workers Essay

Do labor unions increase the wages of workers - Essay Example It is due to this rift that Unions have to come in and provide with a compromising solution to such issue. The activities of Labor unions vary in accordance with the needs of the workers and the activity whereby the Labor Unions negotiate terms and conditions with the employers on matters regarding wage and working condition is referred to as Collective bargaining (Taylor et al, 2010). Labor Unions gained massive popularity during the initial 19th century but after mid 19th century, Labor Unions started losing their grip and popularity and it was in 1980 that union membership fell down drastically within Europe (Wilenius, 2004). The fall in Union membership did not put an end to the Union’s ability to influence wages for employees. There are many ways in which Unions may be able to influence the pay rate of employees working in an organization. The most common ways include: The unions may halt production by advising employees to go on a strike, strike or lock-downs may cause s evere problems for organizations that would be running on strict production-runs. Unions may increase the demand for labor services by providing reduced workers from the union. Unions may force governments to disallow foreign import of skilled or unskilled employees. Unions may restrict supply of competitive inputs. If a Labor Union would not restrict the supply of labor and workforce, the market position would be at an equilibrium position i.e. the supply and the demand would be in a balanced position but if the Labor Union restricts the supply of labor, there would be excessive demand that would have to be met because of the low level of employment. This reduction in the labor would cause the wage rates to rise. All of this would happen because of the supply restrictions. This can be showed graphically as follows: This wage increase is also achieved by Labor Unions by using other techniques such as collective bargaining. Labor Unions use threatening techniques such as strikes and lock-downs in order to achieve wage increases. This can be further represented graphically as follows: In both the scenarios, the end result of achieving a rise in the wage rate is achieved by the Labor Unions but the ways of achieving the wage rate is relatively different from each other. Labor Unions tend to be more powerful when there is no substitute for human work force but where the option of machinery and automated techniques exist; Labor Unions become ineffective in forcing a wage increase of higher employment rate for their workers. With the inception of more advanced technology and increased use of automated techniques during the course of production, Labor Unions effect has been reduced heavily as machinery has worked as a strong substitute for human in the production-runs. Although automated techniques have reduced the impact of the Unions, research has shown that union members are able to get better wages than non union members. This is primarily because of the extra fo rce and pressure applied by the Unions on behalf of all their member workers. A research conducted by the AFL-CIO (America’s Union Movement) clearly suggested that collective bargaining raises wages for union members rather than the non-union ones. Source: AFL-CIO (America’s Union Movement), 2011 Labor Unions are usually called upon as monopolistic, this is because of their forceful nature of dictating terms upon employers by prescribing a wage rate but this monopolistic nature cannot be

Painting Styles, Impressionist, Post-Impressionist & Modern Essay

Painting Styles, Impressionist, Post-Impressionist & Modern - Essay Example The essay "Painting Styles, Impressionist, Post-Impressionist & Modern" explores such painting styles as Impressionist, Post-Impressionist & Modern. The group included the rebellious young Artists looking for new ways for the expression of ideas in painting. They attempted to question the traditionalists by portraying objects and scenes that lacked definition, and tried to explain how the eye interpreted objects. Exponents of ‘Impressionism’ also exploited the light sources for exploration and translation of light on the canvas, and the subject matter was the modern world, particularly landscapes. The founding members of ‘Impressionism’ were Claude Monet, Edgar Degas and Camille Pissarro."Images of suburban and rural leisure outside of Paris were a popular subject for the Impressionists.† The artistic technique of ‘Impressionism’ includes strong strokes of brush on canvas, and this style uses vibrant shades and attempts to translate scenes with mood and feeling. The Painting-â€Å"Autumn Evening,† by the Russian Painter Oleg Frolov in the year 2001, an oil painting on canvas, can be considered as an example of typical ‘Impressionist Painting.’ Post-Impressionism: Post-Impressionism is less easy to define and it differs from Impressionists on dissimilarity in personal styles, and subjects. In the transitory effects of light and spontaneous compositions, they share similar interest with Impressionists and concern with light, but their personal styles vary greatly. The term Post-Impressionism was coined.

The Madness of King George 1994 Movie Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Madness of King George 1994 - Movie Review Example Consequently, Hytner’s movie sets for an epic encounter with the movie thrilling the viewer from start to the end. The story in the film begins about three decades in the reign of King George. It is during this period that the Great Britain had lost all its possessions in America and the king, played by Nigel Hawthorne, started showing symptoms that are illustrative of increasing dementia. In addition, the king exhibited bouts of forgetfulness and showed violent fits and language that was uncouth and uncharacteristic of the throne and royalty. In effect, the stage for overthrowing the king is set once he starts exhibiting these characteristics with his opponents using it as a weakness and the perfect opportunity to install the Prince of Wales, Rupert Everett, to the throne. It should not be forgotten that most of the people and King George’s opponents blamed the king for the loss of Great Britain’s possessions in America. The movie identifies two people who were steadfast in their support for the king. In this case, the character played by Julian Wadham, King George’s prime minister and Helen Mirren who was the queen show their determination throughout the movie to support and protect the throne from the king’s opponents. In order to protect the throne from its opponents, they bring doctors to rescue the king from his demented condition. However, these doctors used archaic methods of treatment, which proved to be of little value given the king’s condition. In effect, the inconsequential treatment provided by these doctors make the protectors of the throne become desperate and turn to Ian Holm, a character who plays the role of Dr. Willis. This doctor used approaches that bordered unconvention  practice with the approaches  reminiscent of modern day psychiatry. Besides, Dr. Willis was harsh on King George as he

Financial Plan Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Financial Plan - Assignment Example The essay discusses that business plan can be defined as a statement that sets forth the business goals that an individual has; the reasons that compel such an individual to believe that such goals are attainable and the steps and plans that the individual has towards that will help them attain those goals. The plan would also contain background information about the potential business and the team that will be used to help achieve the goals. The business plan has several sections the most important of which is the financial plan which details the revenue and costs forecasts of the business, the budget, the cash flows of the business, the costs requirements, the costs management plans to be applied, the sources from which the business will source its funds, the implementation plan of the business’s finances and the business’s control measures for such finances. Therefore the financial plan can be defined as a plan that shows how much revenue will be generated from the b usiness, how such revenue will allocated on various types of costs, how the surpluses shall be invested and how the deficits shall be sourced. This paper describes the type of business for which the business plan is being prepared. This section gives a brief description of what products or services the business will be offering and a brief description of the market in which the business will be operating in. The brief description of the product or service offering and the brief description of the market is used to determine the uniqueness of the business which helps it stand out from the rest of the businesses in that particular market. Finally the name of the business and the type ownership the business will assume are described in this section (McKeever 2010). i. Mission and Vision of the business The mission section of the business plan spells out the business strategy which seeks to answer the three main questions which potential customers might be having regarding the business in question. These questions are what the business does, how it does it and for whom. The vision statement on the other hand, spells what goals the entrepreneur of the business had for the business and what he/she envisioned the business to be in future (John and Harrison 2009). The mission and vision helps the customers and the general public to understand what the business is all

Apple Executive Summary Essay Example for Free

Apple Executive Summary Essay The iShare is an innovative product designed to offer more convenience and speed in file sharing. iShare aims to help eliminate the traditional inconveniences and complicated requirements involved when transferring files between any two Apple i-devices, to give users the joy of easy sharing, and to deliver sustainable profit to its shareholders. This business plan concerns the introduction of iShare to the Thai market. MARKET ANALYSIS We aim to be the expert in file-sharing gadgets between any electronic devices. We decided to first begin by developing a device called the iShare, which enables music sharing between the Apple iPods/iPhones before we go further and make similar products for other brands like Samsung and HTC in the future. The target market for iShare is mainly the Thai middle-to-upper-class, younger generation who owns an iPod/iPhone and have solid income to spend on this innovative gadget. Our market size is carefully calculated to be approximately 200,000,000 THB for the iShare alone and up to 1,000,000,000 THB in total. Our direct competitor is miShare LLC, which offers a similar product to customers in the US and Europe. Indirect competitors include other computer programs that enable easy file transfer between e-devices as well. PRODUCT AND TECHNOLOGY The iShare is a small device that connects 2 iPods or iPhones together, and let users easily transfer files from one device to another without any computer required. We aim to provide our customers the never-before convenience, speed, and the fun of directly transferring files between their device and their friends’. The iShare will also overcome the technical problems and satisfy the customer needs that has not been met previously by our main competitor, miShare LLC. We will develop the software ourselves and outsource the production to China. After we succeed with the iShare, similar products capable with HTC Android and Samsung Galaxy will be introduced to the market. MARKETING AND SALES STRATEGY The iShare will be launched in the middle of the year 2012. They will be sold directly to first tier distributors who will then pass them on to other retailers. The iShare can be purchased from any iStudio and authorized retail stores. Customers can also find an online user manual, a demonstration video, and many more useful information on the iShare website. The iShare will be advertised through various distribution channels such as social networking websites, printed advertising, and viral marketing. MANAGEMENT TEAM Our team is composed of many talented members with different expertise and great connections. We have a technology expert with a background in consumer electronics, a talented software programmer and developer, an experienced and amazingly creative designer who specializes in hi-tech gadget designs, and a very devoting marketing manager with 5 years of experience in marketing consumer electronics. In addition, we also have a close relationship with a huge manufacturing company in China, which will be our supplier and manufacturer for the iShare. The company has confidently claimed that it is capable of producing our product at our desired cost, given our carefully developed software program and product specifications. FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS Market and Competition Analysis Market Opportunity There are many ideas and theories concerning the relationship between the choice of media and personality types nowadays. One of the most popular and widely accepted ideas is the one stating that a person’s music taste reveals personality type: classical music fans are most likely to be shy, while British-pop fans are mostly young, indie hipsters. As we all know, everybody in this world is unique, or at least they want to be perceived that way: as being unique, different, and have their own tastes and preferences for basically everything. Most people are likely to be confident in their own tastes. People with the same taste in music usually gets along well, providing that they believe they have some common values, backgrounds, and personalities that enable them to understand each other better. Music has always been one of the most popular communication tools that bring people closer together. Many people love to share with their friends their favorite album, current favorite songs, or the artists they admire. Nowadays in the world that has become much more digitalized, almost every music and songs offered are in the digital format, to be played and listened to on a digital music player. Sales of music CDs and cassette tapes has been constantly decreasing, while on the other hand the sales of online music, in the iTunes store, for example, has rocketed worldwide. Digital music players have become so popular, and the use of them is widely adopted globally. Cassette tapes and CD players, on the other hand, are going into extinction. One of the general customer needs that have not been fully met in the digital market nowadays is the ability to share their digital files with friends and families easily and without a computer. Whether it is a HTC android, a Samsung Galaxy Player, or an Apple iPod touch, it requires at least a cable and a computer to support file transfer and sh aring. For some particular brands like Apple, transferring files between two iPods or iPhones is still not easy, even with a computer involved. Unlike many other music player producers, the complicated Apple software does not allow users to simply copy and paste files from the portable device to the computer, but requires that users have the corresponding program, the iTunes, that supports the uploading and syncing of files from a computer to their device, and vice versa. Our group sees this unsatisfied customer need as a great market opportunity. We are determined to become the expert in file sharing between electronic devices, especially focusing on music sharing. Eventually we will become the business that provides the market with a device that will make file sharing much more easier for users of almost every digital music player brand, but we have decided to first begin with Apple. From various researches, surveys, and discussions with digital experts, we came to the conclusion that easy music sharing between the Apple i-devices is the highest in demand, due to the brand’s complicated traditional requirements involved in file transferring, and to the massive number of existing Apple users in the market. We have decided to develop first a device that enables music sharing between the Apple iPod/iPhone before we go further and make similar products for other brands like Samsung and HTC in the future. These devices to follow the iShare will work with Samsung Galaxy and HTC Androids, and can be expected to be developed, produced, and offered to the market relatively quickly. This expectation is due to the existing capability, experiences gained, and the competences achieved during the development, sales, and marketing of our first product, the iShare. Our group’s product, the iShare, is a small device that connects 2 Apple iPods or iPhones together, and let users easily transfer files from one device to another. Ordinarily, people would need a computer to transfer files, but the iShare helps eliminate this inconvenient requirement. We aim to provide our customers the never-before convenience, speed, and the fun of directly transferring files between their device and their friends’. Market Size Generally, our target market is the Thai people who own at least one digital music player and have the passion and anxiety about innovative gadgets and file sharing made-easy on their electronic devices. They are likely to be middle-to-upper-class, young to middle aged people with solid income to spend on gadgets and electronic devices’ accessories. They are likely to be interested in new technology and keep themselves updated with new innovation and hi-tech products. We also target on people whose career revolves around the digital music industry, in which it will be very helpful for them to have a device that makes file sharing and transferring convenient and fast. The overall market size is carefully estimated to be approximately 3,000,000 people. However, due to the fact that this business plan will mainly focus only on the iShare, a sharing device specifically designed for the Apple iPod and iPhone, the potential number of market size is reduced to 1,000,000 people as of now. This number is believed to be constantly rising due to the increasing popularity of Apple products. The market size for iShare can be predicted by the number of existing iPod/iPhone users in Thailand. From our careful calculation, together with some reliable sources, out of all the population in Thailand, the number of people who owns at least 1 iPod or iPhone is around 1 million people. Assuming realistically that we can sell the iShare to about 10% of this total, our market size can be estimated at roughly 100,000 people in total. Given that our wholesale price for a single iShare is 2,000 THB, our market size for the iShare alone can be estimated to be around 200,000,000 THB. However, this number does not include other potential markets, the markets for other brands’ users that we will enter in the future. If we take those markets into account, the total market size for our business can be as high as 1,000,000,000 THB. Our Section of the Market Figure 1 : Age groups of Apple i-devices users in Thailand In Thailand, the major group of Apple customers, which accounts for 32% of all users, is between the ages of 22-35. This group also made up a majority of the early adopters of Apple products. Other groups of users, which also contribute a lot to the total number of users, are users with the age of 18-21 and 36-50, which together accounts for 52% of all users. ( See illustration in Figure 1 ) Figure 2 : Percentage share of Apple users among e-mobile users per country According to Figure 2, in Thailand, the percentage share of Apple users among all other e-mobile users in Thailand is 79.6% of the whole market. This makes the market of complementary products to be used with the electronic devices very large; therefore, we can attract a lot of potential customers by introducing iShare, the new, innovative complementary product to the Apple iPhone/iPod. We conducted a survey at MBK mall, one of the most popular malls in Bangkok for mobiles and electronic devices shopping. We gave out a questionnaire about the iShare to 100 people who were wandering around the mobile phone section. More than 90% said that they are very interested in this product and more than 70% of the interested people have responded they are willing to pay up to 3000 THB for the iShare, while another 30% thinks that it would be too expensive and they would not buy it at this price. Market Segmentation Our market for iPod/iPhone users can be segmented further using age groups. By looking at different age groups of users, we can determine the segment that is most likely to be our potential customers and thus market our product and create strategies accordingly. Different segments for our market are as follow: 1. Apple devices users with the age of lower than 18 ( Students ) 2. Apple devices users between 18-21 years old ( College students ) 3. Apple devices users between 22-35 year old ( Junior working class ) 4. Apple devices users between 36-50 years old ( Senior working class ) 5. Apple devices users with the age of more than 50 years old ( Senior citizens ) ( Refer to Figure 1 for illustration ) We are targeting a specific market and plan on overtaking it with quality – what we try to achieve is to be a selection of choice that will offer a never-before convenient and fun product that enables people to share more with each other. We aimed at existing users of iPod/iPhone who desire the ability to save the time and effort required to transfer files between their devices. Basically our market is largely based on a millennium age people that give a huge importance in the ease of use and the amount of time that can be saved by using our product. After looking at some statistics and researches previously done by many interested parties, we came to the conclusion that the most interesting segments for our product are the iPhone/iPod owners with the age of between 18-35, or segment 2 and 3 from our classification. These two segments make up more than 60% of all Apple i-devices users in Thailand. Market Growth Since the market for electronic devices, including smart phones, MP3 players and tablet PC, is growing worldwide, the complementary products market is most likely to be growing along with them in the same direction. We first focused on Apple products because of its undeniable continuous rise in popularity and demand. Not only Apple, there are a lot of other companies such as Samsung, HTC and Sony who are also in the electronic device market, and in the near future there is likely to be more and more brands that will enter into this market. Although this will also attract many other competitors, we can gain the brand loyalty easier as a first mover of a product of this kind in Thailand. Therefore, after we succeed with the iShare for Apple products, we will modify the iShare and make it compatible for use with other brand users in order to generate more revenues for our business from the new market segment. We will develop a similar device to the iShare that will work with a Samsung Galaxy Tab, a HTC android, and possibly other competing brands in the future. We see a lot of opportunity for growth in this industry, and we will continue to maintain our image as being the expert in music sharing with our restless innovation. Market Competition Looking only at the iShare, our direct competitor would be the one company that actually gave us the idea of this device at the very beginning of our project: miShare LLC. MiShare LLC is a software and hardware developer company in New York City, specializing in publishing tools for iPods and other digital media and offering publishing systems for schools, museums, music and movie companies, and marketers who want to distribute audio and video directly to iPods and other digital-media players for immediate playback. MiShare LLC is the inventor and legal producer and distributor of the miShare, a small device that enables users to transfer music, pictures, or videos from one iPod to another without the use of a computer. In the past, there had been similar devices that claimed to have the same ability, but most of them failed and none has ever been as successful as miShare. Nathaniel Wice, the CEO and cofounder of miShare LLC, is the technology entrepreneur and marketer with a journalism background. He adds startup experience and contacts to the miShare and looks forward for collaboration with other startups on business and funding opportunities. His other co-partner name is Josh Hochman, a busy writing software programmer. Hochman is the top programmer with the background in consumer electronics. The company’s main players in the office consist of Nathaniel Wice, Josh Hochman, and a young woman doing shipping-and-receiving department working on the hand-stamping envelopes. Our group’s idea of the iShare originates from the fact that such successful and widely accepted device like a miShare is not yet made available to the Thai and other Asian market. MiShare targets only the iPod users in the United States and Europe. Currently they do not have the policy to ship their product to any Asian country. Thus, we take this opportunity to follow their footsteps and bring to the Thai market this interesting product. We aim to outperform miShare by overcoming their product’s major weakness, which is the current version of miShares software that does not work with the distinctive disk format of iPhone and iPod touch. Their products only works with a limited range of iPod models such as the iPod shuffle, and iPod touch are still unsupported by miShare. This is the technical problem that we aim to overcome in order to provide an even more superior file-sharing device that also works with iPod and iPhone, the iShare, in order to satisfy our customers need and be successful in our business. Other indirect competitors include other iPod/iPhone applications that also enable users to transfer files from one Apple device to another easier than traditionally required. These include applications like Bluetooth Share and Files Lite. Bluetooth share is an application that allows users to share files, photos and contacts. It was first launched to App store in early 2010. However, its major weakness is the fact that its sharing process takes much longer time than the iShare. A regular 3 minutes song would take 5 minutes to transfer from one device to the other. Another indirect competitor, Files Lite, is an application that gives users the ability to synchronize documents directly to their devices. They can store and share files via email and PC easily. The files can be opened directly on the devices. Files Lite supports Microsoft documents, PDF, HTML, images, videos, audios, Apple iWork and text documents. With the most recent update in January 2012, this application allows users to transfer their files easier and quicker. However, a Wi-fi connection is required to connect Files Lite to transfer files and documents. The transfer time is slightly faster than Bluetooth share, but still is much slower compared to iShare. Despite the fact that these applications have also made it easier for its users to transfer music and files between 2 iPods or iPhones, there are still some disadvantages that still make the iShare a superior choice over them. The fact that these applications are much slower and that some require internet connection in order to transfer files are some of those disadvantages. Looking at the situation from every angle, the iShare still holds the superior advantage of being the fastest, most convenient choice ever for file sharing. Product and Technology Product Technologies From our design development and our effective and innovative production process, the iShare will provide the convenience and speed in file transferring between Apple i-Devices like never before. Our RD Team has developed this new gadget to make file sharing between iPods and iPhones much easier. No computer or cable is needed, and its very easy to use. Users can use the iShare to transfer just about anything they have on their iPods or iPhones: music, photos, videos, and playlists. A typical song will take ten seconds to transfer once the devices are attached, depending on the file sizes. A short home video in iPod format could require half a minute.

Contribution Of Summitry To Diplomatic Practice Politics Essay

Contribution Of Summitry To Diplomatic Practice Politics Essay In 1919, diplomatic practice as the world had known it was about to change. This change would be brought about by a culmination of factors, including but not limited to: advances in communication and transportation technology, the ending of WWI and, most notably, the coming together of world leaders at the inaugural Paris Peace Conference in January 1919. Two precedents were set during this conference: the establishment of the League of Nations (precursor to the United Nations) and the invention of the summit as a way of engaging in international diplomatic negotiations (Finch, 1919, p. 161). In this paper I shall focus on the effect of the latter on diplomatic practice nowadays. The conference is a good starting point when examining the role of summits in modern day diplomacy. Yes, leaders of government and heads of state had been meeting for years (Goldstein, 1996, pp. 23-25), but many leaders and delegates congregating on a global scale was truly a new phenomenon, one that would c hange the practice of diplomacy forever. In order to truly analyze the contribution of summitry, or the practice of engaging in summits to negotiate important issues, first, I shall examine the history of modern day summitry from its early beginnings at the aforementioned Peace Conference as well as the rise and unprecedented growth of summits as an option to solve a diverse range of global issues. I will scrutinize select past summits to see if they illustrate the effects of summitry. Then I will look at the broad picture and explain summitrys overall contribution to diplomatic practice. In the 1919 Paris Peace Conference, which was a twin byproduct of Woodrow Wilsons 14 points speech and Germanys desire to negotiate, the shape of diplomacy and international governance was changed forever with the establishment of the United Nations. This overshadowed the real reason the conference had been held: negotiations between the allied powers and the losers of WWI (Finch, 1919, p. 161). The conference also had another unintended consequence: the creation of the summit. A summit is, by definition, a meeting of heads of government to negotiate important or pressing issues. Summits can be planned yearly occurrences or impromptu conferences or meetings in which political leaders (at the highest level) meet for political purposes (Dunn, 1996, p. 20). In the resolution to create the League of Nations the following article states: 3. The members of the League should periodically meet in international conference, and should have a permanent organization and secretariat to carry on the business of the League in the intervals between the conferences (Finch, 1919, p. 170). This shows a concerted effort towards the establishment of using an annual international conference (i.e., summit) to resolve issues between states and to facilitate negotiations on pertinent issues. While the conference set the precedent of a diverse group of states meeting to discuss multiple issues, it also served the major world powers at the time. Under the name of the Council of Four, the USA, France, Great Britain and Italy were the only delegates to be meeting constantly throughout the entire conference, regardless of other sessions going on (Finch, 1919, p. 176). This demonstrates that the international balance was going to be maintained no matter how many other countries were invited to participate. This small allowance of extra importance and ability afforded by the conference allowed the diplomatic process of the past its first introduction to the impending paradigm shift. Traditional diplomacy (that of diplomats meeting diplomats) would meet its future where, much more often than used to be the case, heads of state themselves would do the negotiating and would meet with other delegates and representatives. This was the precise situation at the Peace Conference with President Wilson (USA), President Poincarà © (French Republic), Prime Minister Lloyd George (Great Britain) and Prime Minister Baron Sonnino (Italy), the Council of Four all in attendance, and participating in the negotiation of multiple issues (Finch, 1919, p. 168). This Council became the precursor to the G-5 who would come to dominate not only international relations but also diplomatic practice in general. The rise of summitry since that initial conference in 1919 has been astounding. There have been uncountable summits since 1919; the commonplace nature of their use has grown along with their importance. Summits have covered a multitude of issues and spanned regions and countries across the globe. In fact, it did not take long for the idea of summitry to take hold. Spurned by the outstanding representation of the original countries delegates, a conference convened in the United States in 1921-22. Although not as successful as the Paris Peace Conference, it still paved the way for future summits (Goldstein, 1996, p. 32). President Franklin Roosevelt followed Wilsons lead and attended multiple summits abroad thereby establishing the precedent of leaders of government venturing out to change foreign policy personally through their own diplomacy (Goldstein, 1996, p. 33). These two were the first in a long line of world leaders who would, through their interactions, negotiations and conferences at many sites around the world, help to shape not only the content but the process of diplomacy. While the focus of summitry over the years tended to be on the United States and the concessions that they intended to bring to the table, Europe has played a big part in the growth of summitry as a whole. In fact, the May 1960 Paris Summit between Russia, France and the USA focused on future European expansion issues and the direction and structure of NATO. It resolved key issues between America and Russia and led to drastic changes in Franco-American and Russo-American attitudes (Varat p. 102). The obstinate behavior and actions of Eisenhower, Khrushchev and de Gaulle, caused the eventual drastic failure of the negotiations, but despite this the summit itself would help to shape the history of diplomacy. The following passage describes what happened before the con ference closed: On 16 May, however, Khrushchev delivered the killing stroke to both the current summit and future ones when he launched into an overwrought tirade against American perfidy, berating Eisenhower for violating Soviet sovereignty and accusing him of wanting to start World War III (Varat, 2008, p. 105). The Hague Summit, December 1969, had an important impact on the future direction of summitry in Europe and is notable because it ratified summitry as a successful policy tool. Among other things, this summit was responsible for the creation of the European Monetary Union, negotiations on the enlargement of the European Union, and European political cooperation (Redmond, 1996, p. 54). This summit led to the decision, eventually to be brought forth and instituted at the Paris Summit in 1974, that it should institutionalize and regularize EU summits and hold them three times per year [although I should note that this practice was ended in 1985] (Redmond, 1996, p. 55). At the same time that European summitry was starting to stamp its influence on the diplomatic world, the then- recently un-colonized continent of Africa was beginning to recognize and utilize the process as well. From 1963 onwards, there has been a summit of African nations at least once a year, used to show unity on the continent and also to negotiate issues of importance to African states. This first conference in 1963 was held in Ethiopia, and is considered the most important African conference of the time, with 27 heads of government present and also creating the Organization of African Unity (Hodder-Williams, 1996, p. 136). Although, as Richard Hodder-Williams points out, there had been many meetings and groupings of African leaders dating back to 1918, this Organization and conference in 1963, showed the changing leadership and political dynamics in Africa as a whole (1996, p. 137). From these early beginnings until now, where summits cover a wide range of international problems (non state and state issues), the rise of involvement of summits in the area of international diplomatic negotiations and interactions has been phenomenal. The precursor to the present conference on Climate Change (in Copenhagen in December 2009) was the Earth Summit which was held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in June of 1992. It was, at the time, the biggest summit ever held, with 183 countries and over 40,000 observers and delegates participating in the process. The United Nations sponsored the event and the goal was to bring together as many world leaders as possible to help come to grips with, and hopefully put in place universal measures to tackle the problem, environmental degradation and destruction (Lanchberry, 1996, p. 222). The ability of leaders of many countries to come together (mind you with lots of advanced planning and negotiations) and recommend solid policy proposals (sometimes) for the world to adopt should not be underestimated when considering the effect of summitry in the diplomatic process (Lanchberry, 1996, p. 235-239). The Earth Summit is representative of many of the summits that take place every year and which cover a multitude of issues. Most notably, the way in which the media, world leaders, NGOs, and others attempted to come together for a common goal, even if the results appear watered down or dont go far enough when translated to policy, shouldnt alter the fact that leaders were able to coordinate their efforts, however briefly, to negotiate (or attempt to negotiate) binding policy. Two cases which help illustrate some of the highs and lows of the process of summitry are the International Landmine Treaty Ban and the G7/G8 failed summit in Hokkaido, Japan in 2008. The first illustrates the successes that can be achieved by summitry and some of the good decisions and processes that can occur along the way, while the other shows that sometimes diplomacy should be left to diplomats, not inexperienced negotiators (aka world leaders) who in the end just make a royal mess of things. In the span of just under five years, the International Campaign to Ban Landmines (ICBL) went from being an NGO awareness group, to being the key catalyst in the signing of a worldwide treaty to ban landmines (as well as the coordinator, Jody Williams, receiving the 1997 Nobel Peace Prize for her efforts) (Leguey-Felliux, 2009, p. 122). The non-profit group used intuition and keen planning to pressure the international community to enforce the changes that needed to be made. The UN landmine conference in Geneva in April of 1996, helped to initiate momentum towards the final end goal of a worldwide treaty as well as provide a platform from which NGOs and future governments could use to conduct the delicate negotiations needed to bring about the treaty (Leguey-Felliux, 2009, p. 124). The ICBL and the international community danced back and forth over the issue, by way of multiple conferences, all centered on the issue of banning landmines from the worlds stage. It was through the pressure of the NGOs present at these conferences acting under the coordination of the ICBL, coupled with the media pressure that caused lobbying and negotiations to turn into signatures on a treaty. With the world watching, and with more names (countries) being added to the treaty as the years passed and the conferences were convened, the pressure would slowly build on the remaining leaders to change their position and get with the times. The final summit was convened in the first week of December 1997 in Ottawa, Canada. It served the dual purpose of not only adding the final necessary and desired signatures to the treaty, but also helped fundraise and plan the implementation stages for the actual removal of landmines (Leguey-Felliux, 2009, p. 128). This was quite a feat considering that it started with an NGO using an opportune moment to seize upon the chance to remedy a serious social problem, and ended with government officials and heads of state negotiating po licies that would allow the world to not only ban landmines but also start removing the existing ones. This summit showed not only coordination of different groups and countries, but also global governmental cooperation and negotiation on an important issue. But this summit could be viewed as an exception, and was chosen as an example specifically because of the incredible tangible results that it managed to achieve. At the exact opposite end of the spectrum in terms of output or tangible results I have chosen to examine the G8 Summit in Hokkaido, Japan in July 2008 as a good example of hype and bluster beforehand not quite equaling results afterward. In the run up to the summit, there was optimism abounding from journals, economists and academics alike. A press briefing ahead of the Presidents trip to Japan as well as a report issued by the World Bank in preparation for the conference help to illustrate this optimism. The President of the United States prepared for the Hokkaido summit by using the briefings given by his senior economic, Asian and environmental advisors to explicitly lay out the agenda of the summit as well as the individual bilateral meetings and the working lunches that would take place with many countries at the table (Press Briefing 7/1/2008). Some of the key issues that needed focusing on were climate change, HIV/AIDS and poverty; the working lunches and bilateral meetings were to provide the setting for the international negotiations needed to solve these truly international problems. The Presidents advisors were not the only ones preparing briefings before the summit to help formulate a path to successful negotiations and outcomes, however; the World Bank along with others was also drafting pre-summit reports. The World Bank chose a different path from that chosen by the President. In their report Double Jeopardy: Responding to High Food and Fuel Prices, the World Bank illustrated the specific link between food prices and high oil prices and their effect on poverty by introducing a 10 point plan for the G8 to adopt (World Bank Report, July 2, 2008, p. 2). In this thorough report (which itself is evidence of the importance placed on this summit by the World Bank), there are specific policy recommendations as well as statistics illustrating the correlation between poverty, fuel and food prices (World Bank Report, July 2, 2008, pp. 2-5, 21-27). Using these two different entities preparedness and seriousness as a barometer the outlook for the summit should have been positive. So what actually happened? The title of The Economists review of the summit pretty much says it all: they came, they jawed, they failed to conquer (A mountain-top gabfest provided a spectacular show and a long guest list but few answers to the woes of the world) (Economist, 7/12/2008, p. 68-69). The summit proved to be rather futile in the end, but served the minimal purpose that most summits now serve, as a preparatory meeting for the next summit, sometime in the future. In the case of the Climate Change portions of the Hokkaido summit, some useless platitudes and posturing indicated that everyone was waiting for the Copenhagen Summit on in 2009. This is the new evolved summit: an opportunity for world leaders to sit face to face for a somewhat extended period of time, under media pressure to plan for another meeting in the future. This endless future planning is not actually useless; it should be thought of as one long protracted negotiation. The issue at hand will be resolved or policies produced to find solutions sometime in the future, at some future summit. It has been ninety years since the Peace Conference in Paris and the idea and practice of summitry has evolved drastically as well as becoming interwoven into the practice of diplomacy. The summit is seen as a negotiating arena, a useful public relations tool, and a chance to renew and reaffirm relationships with other states; more than this it has been a platform for further negotiations on some extremely important global issues. Summits can be successful sometimes and unsuccessful other times, but whichever outcome materializes in the end, the foundation for future negotiations will be laid. The summit pervades the world of diplomacy and its effects are seen in the conduct, preparedness, and seriousness of NGOs, world leaders, and other delegates in regards to their relationship with summitry.

Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs) Experiment

Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs) Experiment Abstract Artificial neural networks (ANNs) is applied for prediction of product selectivity in biological sulfide removal. An experimental setup is constructed for investigation of biological sulfide removal in a fed batch bioreactor. In this process, sulfide is biologically converted into elemental sulfur and sulfate by the bacterium Thiobacillus thioparus. In addition, thiosulfate is produced in a side reaction. The effect of various parameters (dissolved oxygen, concentration of bacteria and sulfide load) is investigated on the types of products. The main product is elemental sulfur at low dissolved oxygen or at high sulfide loads and also more sulfates are produced at high dissolved oxygen. At high concentration of bacteria, sulfur and sulfate selectivity are increased, and thiosulfate selectivity is decreased. By using gathered experimental data, an artificial neural network model is developed to calculate the selectivity of products at different operating conditions. The comparison betw een proposed ANN model and the experimental data demonstrates a great precision of the model. Introduction Hydrogen sulfide as an extremely toxic gas is emitted by many industries such as oil, gas and petrochemical industries [1]. It has potential for the damaging nervous system at low-dose exposures. Furthermore, sulfide is highly corrosive and has a very unpleasant odor. The threshold limit value for air 0.5–10 ppbv [2], natural gas 4 ppmv [3] and for fresh or salty water fish is 0.5 ppm [4]. In the recent years, biological sulfide removal at ambient temperature and pressure has been investigated as an alternative to the conventional methods. A review on the bacteria of the sulfur cycle was discussed by Tang et al which contributes to a better understanding of the process [7]. Also, a review of the biological removal of H2S from gas streams was studied by Sayed et al [8]. Several microorganisms, namely sulfur compound oxidizing bacteria (SOB), are capable of oxidizing H2S at ambient temperatures and pressures. Different types of bioreactors are used for biological sulfide removal, the more common types are: bioscrubber, biotrickling filter, and biofilter. In the last two processes, the H2S-containing gas passes through a moist, packed bed of particles, which are coated by microorganisms. The biotrickling filter, and biofilter are proper for low sulfide capacity, which the sulfide is mainly converted to sulfate [8]. In the case of biological H2S removal from natural gas, the bioscrubber is more preferred. In a bioscrubber, H2S is washed from the natural gas stream by an alkaline such as NaOH (Eqs. 1 and 2) in a gas absorber, then the rich alkaline solution is sent to an agitated bioreactor where the sulfide ions (HS) are converted to elemental sulfur or sulfate (Eqs. 3 and 4). The produced elemental sulfur is separated by sedimentation [8-11]. Production of elemental sulfur is preferred since it is less harmful than sulfate. Furthermore, hydroxyl ions, consumed in the absorption of H2S in the alkaline liquid, are regenerated upon oxidation of sulfide to elemental sulfur (Eq. 3). Also, elemental sulfur is easily separated by sedimentation. In addition to the biological reactions, dissolved sulfide can react with S0 to produce polysulfide ions (), according to Eq. 5, and ions are abiotically oxidized to S0 and, according to Eq. 6 [12]. Teder [13] has shown that the chain length of polysulfide ion (Sx2-) increases with increase of temperature (x = 5.0 at 25  °C and x = 6.5 at 80  °C). At moderate alkaline conditions, the average chain length of polysulfide (x) varies from 4.6 to 5.5 [12-15]. The product selectivity in the biological sulfide removal process depends on different parameters such as bacteria concentration, sulfide load to the bioreactor and dissolved oxygen [*** Roosta]. This study investigates the applicability of artificial neural networks (ANNs) for the prediction of the biological sulfide removal performance in a fed batch bioreactor. Materials and Methods In this study, Thiobacillus thioparus (DSMZ 5368) was used as sulfur oxidizing bacteria for producing elemental sulfur in the biological sulfide removal process.In this regards, a bioreactor with total volume of 3.8 liter operated under fed batch conditions was used, as shown in Figure (1). During all experiments, the temperature was controlled at 30 ±0.3  °C, and the pH was controlled at 8 ±0.2 using 1N HCl and 1N NaOH solutions. Dissolved oxygen (DO) as a manipulated variable was changed between 0.5 and 6 ppm and controlled using nitrogen and oxygen injection. The bioreactor was charged with 2000 cc of the medium inoculated with biomass. After stabilizing of the temperature in the bioreactor at 30  °C, feeding of the sulfide solution was started. The concentration of sulfide was determined based on the methylene blue method proposed by Trà ¼per and Schlegel [16], by using a spectrophotometer (Zeiss) at 665 nm. The sulfide solution was injected to the bioreactor by an infus ion pump (JMS OT-701), after calibration of the pump. During the experiments, the sulfide solution is applied at different flow rates (between 1.5 and 23 ml h-1) to achieve different HS load (between 0.5 and 4.0 mmolL-1h-1). The flow rate of recirculating gas was adjusted to 15 L min-1 and was spread by a diffuser; this caused a good mixing of the broth. The concentration of sulfur compounds were measured during the process. In this regards, the total concentrations of sulfide (HS and polysulfide) were determined based on the methylene blue method [17]. The concentration of polysulfide was determined based on Teder [14] method. The concentration of sulfide (HS) is the difference between total sulfide concentrations and polysulfide concentration. The concentration of sulfate was determined via the turbiditimetry method at 420 nm [17], and the thiosulfate concentration was determined via the methylene blue method at 760 nm [18]. Finally, the concentration of elemental sulfur is calculated by the mass balance on sulfur. The present study investigates the effect of operating variables: dissolve oxygen (DO) value (0.5 – 4 ppm), HS load (0.5 – 4 mmol L-1 h-1) and optical density (OD) of bacteria (0.4 – 0.6) on the sulfide removal and product selectivity. ANN Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs) with different structures has been proven to be universal function approximators. The major advantage of ANN model is to be constructed without detailed information about the underlying process. ANNs as black box modeling tools have already been used for many applications in industry, business and science [19]. Since in white box modeling approaches, the model of development is based on the information of mechanistic and relevant equations and detailed knowledge for a specific system is usually not directly available, most efforts in the white box modeling approach are devoted to revealing all relevant mechanisms and quantifying these mechanisms correctly. This usually requires an extensive research program (including experiments, which can also be very time- and money-consuming). Here a compromise must be made in order to save time and money. Therefore, white box models often have limited accuracy, because in developing the models, minor mechanisms are neglected and only the major mechanisms are taken into account. The major advantage of the artificial neural networks is that they can be constructed without the need of detailed knowledge of the underlying system. One of the applications of artificial neural network models is to map an input space to an output space and function as a look-up table. Thus, in recent years, artificial neural networks have been applied to biotechnology and biochemical engineering researches [20-27]. In this study, a Multi Layer Perceptron (MLP) neural network is utilized in order to develop an appropriate model for the prediction of products selectivity. MLP This type of network consists of an input layer, an output layer and one or more hidden layers (Figure 2). The number of neurons in the input and the output layer depends on the number of input and output parameters respectively. However, the hidden layer may contain desired neurons. All the layers are interconnected as shown in Figure (2) and the strength of the interconnections is determined by the weights associated with them. Each input of neurons (p) is weighted with an appropriate (w), the sum of the weighted inputs and the bias (b) forms the input to the transfer function (f). Neurons can use any differentiable transfer function f to generate their output (n) and is given as: Multilayer Perceptron networks often use the log-sigmoid transfer function (Eq. 8); however, other functions are commonly used. In this work, one hidden layer was chosen for the networks (as shown in Figure 2), and the optimum neuron numbers for hidden layer was calculated. By using Bayesian regularization back propagation, the MLP neural network was trained. This training method updates the weight and bias values according to the Levenberg- Marquardt optimization [28]. It minimizes a combination of squared errors and weights, and then determines the correct combination so as to produce an artificial neural network that generalizes well. Training was carried out until the mean absolute relative error (MARE) which represented by Eq. 9, was minimized. When the training was terminated, to avoid over learning, the error of test and training data were calculated. As illustrated in Figure (2), the inputs of the proposed networks are DO value, bacteria OD and HS load, and the outputs are elemental sulfur, sulfate and thiosulfate selectivity. To choose the best network structure, different configurations of MLP networks were trained and tested. Network parameters such as: numbers of hidden layers, numbers of neurons in each hidden layer, transfer functions and training algorithm were studied in this attempt. Eventually, the network structure that produced the smallest error for testing and training data was determined. The needed experimental data were measured at different DO values, bacteria ODs and HS loads, and comprise 300 observations. Using the random selection method, 75% of all data (225 data sets) were assigned to the training set, while the rest of the data were used as the validation set. Results and Discussions A part of the obtained experimental data are shown in Table (1). According to the results, increasing of bacteria OD leads to more sulfur and sulfate selectivity, but leads to decrease of thiosulfate selectivity. Although, by increasing DO value, sulfate and thiosulfate selectivity increase, and sulfur selectivity decreases. In addition, increasing sulfide load leads to increase of elemental sulfur and thiosulfate selectivity, and decrease in sulfate selectivity. After many attempts, the best ANN obtained is a MLP with one hidden layer. The optimum number of neurons in the hidden layer is 15 neurons as shown in Figure (3). The transfer function of the first layers is a hyperbolic tangent sigmoid (Eq. 9) and that of second layer is a positive linear function. The parameters of the ANN structure are shown in Table (2). As shown in Figure (4) the ANN model has been able to capture all the features of the system reasonably and can be used for estimating the product selectivity within the range in which it has been trained. Figure (4a) compares the results of applying the training data and Figure (4b) compares the applying test data to the MLP with experimental data at different conditions. The correlation coefficient (R2) value of the ANN model is near to one, which indicates a good accuracy of the ANN model. The relative error between experimental data and calculated values, for verification data are illustrated in Figure (5). As seen in this figure, mean absolute relative error (MARE%) for sulfate, sulfur and thiosulfate selectivity are 4.4, 1.77 and 0.23% respectively. The results show that the proposed model is in a good agreement with experimental data which ANN did not observe in the training phase. Conclusion In biological sulfide removal, elemental sulfur production should be maximized to save more hydroxyl ions. Thus, the prediction of product selectivity is essential in the design of the biological sulfide removal system. An artificial neural network based model was developed for the prediction of product selectivity as a function of DO, OD of bacteria and HS load, in the biological sulfide removal system. The best architecture of the MLP network was obtained by trial. Application of the proposed ANN model for training and test data indicates that it can predict the product selectivity with a considerable accuracy.

Personal Freedom and Independence: The Works of Benjamin Franklin and H

Personal Freedom and Independence in the Works of Benjamin Franklin and Henry Thoreau It is an undisputable fact that the contribution of such prominent philosophers, writers, political and social activists as Benjamin Franklin and Henry David Thoreau in developing American statehood is tremendous. The literary works of both men can serve as a manifesto of national and personal liberation, a call for building a better society, where each citizen can live and work freely. Indeed, both Henry Thoreau and Benjamin Franklin emphasize the independence and freedom of an individual, but they do so in significantly different ways. These differences can be linked to their different worldview, life positions, philosophies, or interests. Nevertheless, this fact cannot detract from the obvious uniqueness and importance of Thoreau’s and Franklin’s literary heritage. Benjamin Franklin’s Conception of Independence and Freedom of Individual Benjamin Franklin was a scholar and lexicographer, a representative of the American Enlightenment, ideologist of the national liberation movement. It should be noted that Franklin was one of the most active participants of the struggle of American people for independence. He condemned slavery and ardently defended the rights of American national minorities. The basis of political views of Benjamin Franklin is the concept of the natural and inalienable rights of an individual. Franklin attributes life, liberty, and property to such natural rights. According to Benjamin Franklin, a man is simply â€Å"a tool-making animal,† a creature, whose freedom and, thus, independence is limited (Houston 45). In his Dissertation on Liberty and Necessity, Pleasure and Pain, Benjamin Franklin put the statement that every... ...y, considering citizenship and working for the benefit of society, while Henry Thoreau emphasizes the illusory nature and imperfection of the state and sees individual freedom in unity with nature and rejection of pseudo-needs enslaving people. Works Cited Franklin, Benjamin. The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin. New York and Cincinnati: American Book Company, 1896. Web. 5 June 2012. Houston, Alan. Franklin: The Autobiography and other Writings on Politics, Economics, and Virtue. New York: Cambridge UP, 2008. Print. Wolf, Abraham. History of Science, Technology, and Philosophy in the Eighteenth Century. New York: MacMillan Press, 1968. Web. 5 June 2012. Thoreau, Henry David. Walden: A Fully Annotated Edition. New Heaven: Yale UP, 2004. Print. Myerson, Joel. The Cambridge Companion to Henry David Thoreau. New York: Cambridge UP, 1995. Print.

Latino Youth and Politics :: essays research papers fc

We The Americans... As inhabitants of the United States and the world, we the young hispanics, latinos, and chicanos of America need to take a stand against those who would rule this country with disregard for our development as an appreciated and respected culture. Our parents have fought their whole lives to give us what we need to survive, but now is our time to fight. Even today, in our nation that is so focused on "equality" there is a silent prejudice that is tearing our country apart at the seams. As a country, we have made great strides toward learning to understand each other, but understanding is not enough. Our president George W. Bush and many others in power today are only doing what has to be done in order for us to maintain silence and keep working. Now, through education, political activism, youth leadership, and action, we will grow as a people. I fully believe that education is the key to the progression of our civil and human rights. Hispanics are a very intelligent people, now we must use the opportunities available to us to teach ourselves and our children how to be strong. According to the National Council of La Raza, the leading organization dedicated to the betterment of hispanic lives, "no issue is of greater concern to the latino community than the low educational status of its children." In today's schools, latinos are becoming a large minority in many schools due to the fact that "more than one third (35.7%) of Hispanics are under 18 years of age"(NCLR 9). Did you know that the "number one candidate to drop out of high school is latina girls"(NCLR 3). These are our mothers and daughters, the ones who teach and care for our children. How can we let our children be raised by uneducated women? Our children are learning in schools that are "overcrowded, underfunded, and ill-prep ared to provide rigorous academic instructional and intervention services"(NCLR 9). Since George W. Bush has basically shown in his budget proposal that he is not interested in helping latinos with their education, by this I mean he has not chosen to increase funding of any of the latino focused educational budget items, and he has even chosen to cut the funding of the number one college preparation program for low income areas GEAR-UP by 68 million dollars or 1/4 of their budget (White Paper 5).

Choral Speaking Script

Choral Speaking Script! (official) L : LEFT, R: RIGHT. first row : number 1, second row: number 2 and third row: number 3. L&R2,3: Guys, the choral speaking competition is next week! L&R1: Oh My God, what are we going to talk about?! R123 :Hmm.. Let’s talk about FOOD! Mmm yum yum yum L123: No No No! Let’s talk about†¦. BOO! GHOSTS? *Yeah* Uuuuu†¦ Lydia: No guys, let’s talk about something we ALL have in common! L&R 123: What, our parents’ nagging?! Lydia: No, I’m talking about music! L1,2,3: Music?! R1,2,3:Music?! ALL: Mu~sic!Even the word is music to our ears! ALL: A very good morning to the honorable judges, teachers and friends. Today, whether you want to hear it or not, we’re going to tell you all about music! L1,2,3: So, sit back, and relax R1,2,3: But don’t fall asleep ALL: And†¦. Enjoy the show! ALL: As teens, music plays a HUGE part in our everyday lives! I bet most of us can't live without music! We all have iPo ds, MP3s and even our handphones have music! All around us there’s music—on the radio, television and even our surroundings! L;R2,3:The ticking of the clock..L;R1: Tick tock, tick tock L;R2,3: The tweeting of the birds†¦ L;R1: Tweet-tweet, tweet-tweet! ALL: EVERYTHING has its own natural rhythm and beat that forms its own music! Now, let us bring you b~ack in time†¦ To see how music has evolved! ALL: In the seventies, pop dominated the airwaves! Can you imagine Our  grandparents grooved to Stevie Wonder and the Beatles—(I wanna hold your hand~) L1,2,3: Who?! R1,2,3:  WE  don’t have a clue! ALL: ‘Pop music’ actually came from the word ‘popular music’. Over time, it made its own genre as we know today.Its basis covers several different genres of music: jazz, rock, soul, r;b Creating a fusion of sound that evolves into pop music as we know it! Over time, pop music’s popularity increased by the rise of MTV, whi ch popularized artists such as  Michael Jackson,Madonna  and  Prince. ALL: T~hen, in the eighties, a new genre of music was born! Disco, babeyh! The â€Å"disco sound† is so unique it defies description! It draws on many influences: Jazz, Latin, pop—all that produces a feet-tapping melody. It mostly consists of dance beats that makes you want to— L2,3:–Bust a move! R2,3: And break out your groove!L;R1:Okay, that’s enough. ALL:With disco music came the fashion that most of us today would cringe at. L;R3: Bell bottoms L;R2:Puffy hair L;R1:Poodle skirts ALL: And even six inch platforms! ALL: Boy, Aren’t we glad we’re in the 21st century! ALL: In the nineties— Farah Natasha: WOHOO! ROCK AND ROLLL!!! (everyone looks) err, sorry. ALL:As we were s~aying, nineties brought rock music to a whole new level! Rock took a new definition. From the 80es beat, society practiced freedom of expression by rock music. From classic rock, sub-g enres quickly developed: pop-rock, blues-rock and glam rock.L1,2,3:And so, our trip down memory lane ends. R1,2,3:But the 21st century music begins! ALL: Pop. Techno. Rap. Rock. RNB. Soul. Metal. Hiphop. You name it! Even foreign music like Jrock and Kpop! Nadirah: â€Å"Sorry sorry sorry sorry†¦Ã¢â‚¬  ALL:With so many genres of music, no wonder life is a symphony! ALL: Music influences teenagers in s~o many ways. L1,2,3: Hearing your favourite song on the radio can turn your day 360 degrees! R1,2,3: It’s the most effective medium that teens use to break out of the funk. ALL: There is just so much meaning behind music nowadays!Music can also tell an artist’s life story, things they have been through, and even their opinion on certain views. L;R2,3: Songs about the environment, L;R1:[earth song! ] If they say, Why, why, tell 'em that it's human nature Why, why, does he do it that way L;R2,3: about love and friendship, L;R1:[falling for you! ] L;R2,3: and about li fe’s experiences all give a positive impact to the listeners. ALL: It’s the universal medium that everyone understands, even through the language barrier! From America to France, Germany to Zimbabwe, music is abundant and constant.Through the mass media, music from all walks of life are heard and enjoyed. ALL: We all need music in our lives. The steady beat of music calms the mind, heart and soul. Young or old, white or black, Caucasian or Asian, ev~eryone is united by this freedom of self-expression. As life goes on, new beats are discovered, new rhythms are explored and self expression begins again! No one can get bored or tired of music because it is ever-changing. ALL: In short, life without music would be†¦ (someone) : Devastating! (someone) : Boring! [cricket sound] ALL: It just simply wouldnt be life! Thank you!

Frankenstein and Blade Runner

FRANKENSTEIN AND BLADE RUNNER EXAM NOTES Module A: Comparative study of texts and context. Comparative: compare and contrast Context: EVERYTHING, values and perspectives ANALYSING MOVIES Cinematographic Editing Frame composition Colour/group/shade Sound/ music Script/dialogue Acting qualities. EXPLAIN How frank represents the context of 1818 are both warnings to the evil of technology And blade runner context of 1982 BLADE RUNNER CONTEXT Ridley Scott is reflecting values by reacting against them.The biggest link that both are dealing with besides the excesses of sciences. -consumerism -industrialism topics being reflected in blade runner -greed -development at any cost Post war era, out of the Vietnam War . Computer industries booming and Ridley scott reflects this throughout the movie. Los Angeles is filled chosen as an example of industrialism. Economic rationalism- states that the economy dictates everything that happens in society.The Reagan& the Thatcher administration created a free economy whereby the government had less intervention with businesses this in turn created a great class distinction where the rich became richer and the poor became poorer. This idea is reflected in the movie by the idea of â€Å"onworld† and â€Å"offworld† lands where only the rich can afford to live away from the dead earth. Thatcherism- philosophy that anything that technologically advances is good anything that prohibits otherwise is bad.Industrialism – A dwarfing feeling is conveyed through the camera looking up towards the buildings and this further expresses the industrialism that has conquered this society. it is constantly repeated throughout the movie. Chose Los Angeles as a symbol of American industrialisation and technology, as a result of this you had the emerging environmental movement Both texts have a deep suspicion about the dangers of science and technology and what will happen if sci and tech will continue without control Consumerism- c oke, Atari etc are all symbols of consumerismFRANKENSTEINS CONTEXT 1818 – Frankenstein, romantic period 1780-1830 FOLLOWING age of enlightenment (rationalism) beginning of the industrial age: Head and heart knowledge Objectivity vs. subjectivity ENLIGHTENMENT- a period where reasoning and knowledge was central to authority (Rationalism) ROMANTICISM- a reaction to enlightenment, and the scientific rationalization of nature. The influences in context within Frankenstein (1818): â€Å"Learn from me, if not by my precepts, at least by my example†¦ who aspires to become greater than his nature will allow†- showing the dangers of enthusiasm which is common to enlightenment writers.In the 1831 edited version, language which sounds obsessive and uncontrollable is added. Frankenstein expresses more emotion and it reveals a more romantic spirit. The change in rhetoric was to show the dangers of romantic egotism and not to show the dangers of science. However this is irrelev ant in the sense that the change represents both sides to her context. The period of enlightenment and romanticism. INDUSTRIALSATION- all about urbanisations and the growth of big cities, before this was a close link to nature. Not so much about urbanisation but more about unlimited technology.Frankenstein has the rural theme with most characters out in the Alps chasing the monster etc. * Romanticism is the birth of a new sensibility, key elements is a growth in notions of individual consciousness- meaning being aware of individual consciousness and hence individual imagination. Having a man create a replicant human being and the amazing way frank wanted to learn the secret of life. Unaided with any assistance could learn language and everything else. – Very superior communication skills * Dangers of experimental science in which humanity is not its goal. The need for love and nurturing. * She clearly reflects aspects of her context, in that a small group of women such as her mother were the forerunners of the feminist movement. Starting to fight that group later be known as the suffragettes. She represents strong feminist views; it’s an analysis when men try to procreate without a woman. She is parodying expressed by the male romantics about the world of love and romance. Quite deliberate that the significant emotional attachments are with men: Frank- monster ClervalWalton WHAT CAN BE DISCUSSED A) CONCERN ABOUT SCEINCE AND DEVELOPMENT I) F + CONTEXT II) BR+ CONTEXT B) ONTOLOGICAL QUESTION WHAT IS A HUMAN BEING LIVING LONGER. VALUE OF LIFE AND FOR LIFE. C) MORAL CHOICES D) NEED FOR LOVE FAMILY AND EMPATHY E) JUDGING PEOPLE BY APPEARANCE – I) made the monster as a playmate for himself and turns out to be a hideous deformed ugly monster. Rejects him on the basis of appearance II) Replicants purely by their eyes – Frankenstein hated the monster because of its eyes. Exposes terror

A Study on the Victorian Model of Marriage

The Victorian Era was a period in history from about 1837 to 1901, during the reign of Queen Victoria. It was a time of great growth and strides for England.   The country was gaining profits from overseas and industrial improvements were making it easier and more profitable for businesses and for the home front.The social class between families and income levels became more prominent and defined during this era. However, even with all of the improvements and advancements in industrial and social status, the Victorian marriage still remained somewhat antiquated, especially when compared to the modern marriage model of today’s world.Before a couple decide to get married, they must first meet and obtain a certain level of relationship status to be able to proceed to marriage.   In the 21st century, people meet, date, fall in love and get married.   How they meet varies as well.They could meet at a dance club, Church, work, or even off of a dating site on the Internet.   In contrast, the Victorian era looked at meeting a potential spouse a lot differently.   â€Å"Courtship was considered more a career move than a romantic interlude for young men, as all of a woman's property reverted to him upon marriage† (Courting the Victorian Woman, 1).A lot more thought and decision making went into meeting that special someone.   The young ladies of the wealthier class who were going to be ‘coming out’ into the available market would spend months in preparation ahead of time.   New outfits had to be purchased, and they would need to make enough prominent acquaintances to receive the invitations to the best events where they could meet the most eligible bachelors.â€Å"To get ready for courtship and marriage a girl was groomed like a racehorse.   In addition to being able to sing, play an instrument and speak a little French or Italian, the qualities a young Victorian gentlewoman needed, were to be innocent, virtuous, biddable, duti ful and be ignorant of intellectual opinion† (A Woman’s Place in Victorian Society, 4).While searching for a mate, the women are on display, showing off their best attributes, qualities and skills that would proclaim her the best wife for a bachelor.   Once married, the women then take on an entirely different role in society.â€Å"A woman's prime use was to bear a large family and maintain a smooth family atmosphere where a man need not bother himself about domestic matters.   He assumed his house would run smoothly so he could get on with making money† (A Woman’s Place in Victorian Society, 4).Victorian women were not supposed to have outside employment.   Society believed that a woman’s sole job was to take care of home, hearth, children, and to do whatever necessary to help her husband succeed in his business.â€Å"The job of a woman was to organize parties and dinners to bring prestige to her husband, making it possible for them to meet new people and establish economically important relationships. Her real job was devoting time to the children and maintaining the house† (Marriage in the Victorian Era, 2).The modern day woman, in comparison, is usually a working wife and mother.   She is expected to keep the home, hearth and children together while also earning income, which sometimes may even be the larger income of the household.   Today’s society almost demands a double income to survive, even comfortably.   Although there are still a few women who are stay at home moms, the majority of modern day women have at least a part time job to help supplement the income.   While men of the Victorian era expect their wives to stay home and not have a job outside the home, many modern day men actually want and expect their spouse to help financially.   Women today have a lot more say in decisions and matters of the home than they did in the Victorian era. A Study on the Victorian Model of Marriage The Victorian Era was a period in history from about 1837 to 1901, during the reign of Queen Victoria. It was a time of great growth and strides for England.The country was gaining profits from overseas and industrial improvements were making it easier and more profitable for businesses and for the home front.The social class between families and income levels became more prominent and defined during this era. However, even with all of the improvements and advancements in industrial and social status, the Victorian marriage still remained somewhat antiquated, especially when compared to the modern marriage model of today’s world.Before a couple decide to get married, they must first meet and obtain a certain level of relationship status to be able to proceed to marriage.   In the 21st century, people meet, date, fall in love and get married.How they meet varies as well.   They could meet at a dance club, Church, work, or even off of a dating site on the Internet.   In co ntrast, the Victorian era looked at meeting a potential spouse a lot differently.   â€Å"Courtship was considered more a career move than a romantic interlude for young men, as all of a woman's property reverted to him upon marriage† (Courting the Victorian Woman, 1).A lot more thought and decision making went into meeting that special someone.   The young ladies of the wealthier class who were going to be ‘coming out’ into the available market would spend months in preparation ahead of time.New outfits had to be purchased, and they would need to make enough prominent acquaintances to receive the invitations to the best events where they could meet the most eligible bachelors.â€Å"To get ready for courtship and marriage a girl was groomed like a racehorse.   In addition to being able to sing, play an instrument and speak a little French or Italian, the qualities a young Victorian gentlewoman needed, were to be innocent, virtuous, biddable, dutiful and be ignorant of intellectual opinion† (A Woman’s Place in Victorian Society, 4).While searching for a mate, the women are on display, showing off their best attributes, qualities and skills that would proclaim her the best wife for a bachelor.   Once married, the women then take on an entirely different role in society.â€Å"A woman's prime use was to bear a large family and maintain a smooth family atmosphere where a man need not bother himself about domestic matters.   He assumed his house would run smoothly so he could get on with making money† (A Woman’s Place in Victorian Society, 4).Victorian women were not supposed to have outside employment.   Society believed that a woman’s sole job was to take care of home, hearth, children, and to do whatever necessary to help her husband succeed in his business.â€Å"The job of a woman was to organize parties and dinners to bring prestige to her husband, making it possible for them to meet new people and establish economically important relationships. Her real job was devoting time to the children and maintaining the house† (Marriage in the Victorian Era, 2).The modern day woman, in comparison, is usually a working wife and mother.   She is expected to keep the home, hearth and children together while also earning income, which sometimes may even be the larger income of the household.   Today’s society almost demands a double income to survive, even comfortably.Although there are still a few women who are stay at home moms, the majority of modern day women have at least a part time job to help supplement the income.   While men of the Victorian era expect their wives to stay home and not have a job outside the home, many modern day men actually want and expect their spouse to help financially.   Women today have a lot more say in decisions and matters of the home than they did in the Victorian era.â€Å"Married women had rights similar to the rights of chi ldren. A married couple was considered as one person. The husband was responsible for his wife and controlled her.The wife was to obey her husband, and do as he pleased. All property was controlled by the husband. Even if a woman brought personal property into the marriage, the man automatically took control of it. Most women, especially those in the upper class, were not to have a job† (Marriage in the Victorian Era, 2).The 21st century woman has a lot more control and rights.   She can vote, have her own finances, and even sue her husband for divorce and property.   Many of the modern day weddings have even excluded the â€Å"obey† commandment out of their wedding vows.In the Victorian ages, the roles of husband and wife and marriage were clearly defined, with each knowing what was expected of them, not only from their spouse, but from society as well.   The modern day marriage model is not so clearly defined and, not surprisingly, causes confusion and debates o n just how a marriage should work.An interesting couple from the Victorian era who did not conform completely to society’s image of marriage was Elizabeth Barrett Browning and her husband, Robert Browning. At a time when women were supposed to stay home and make their home, children and husband their only career, Elizabeth Barrett Browning spent much of her time writing.Her husband, instead of being furious and embarrassed, or strictly forbidding her to work, helped and encouraged her with her writings. â€Å"Laws, social practices and economic structures narrows women's choices for meaningful roles in society.The people of this era emphasized the ideology of the home. They felt it was extremely important for women to preserve the identity of the home† (Marriage in the Victorian Era, 2).   Although society would have had Mrs. Browning staying home and not working, they still appreciated her writings and her husband encouraged her to succeed.The roles and rules of the marriage model have vastly changed since the Victorian era.â€Å"The progression from Victorian marriage to modern marriage was a slow process. In the 1960's the sexual revolution was a time when women began to exert their power and freedoms more publicly. At this point in history women were beginning to marry for happiness and not as a result of coercion† (Women's History Then & Now – Marriage, 3).The casual greeting and meeting of the opposite sex does not require seeing each others’ bank accounts to see if they are a financial match, shopping for the perfect clothes months in advance, or following such strict guidelines and etiquette as in the Victorian era.   Women today are able to make their own choices, manage their own homes and careers and be in a marriage that is a partnership financially and romantically. Works Cited1.   Hoppe, Michelle J. â€Å"Courting the Victorian Woman.† December 4, 2008.http://www.literary-liaisons.com/article009.htm2.   â€Å"Marriage in the Victorian Era.† December 4, 2008.http://shsaplit.wikispaces.com/Marriage_In_The_Victorian_Era?f=print3.   â€Å"Women's History Then & Now – Marriage.† December 4, 2008.http://www.cwrl.utexas.edu/~ulrich/femhist/marriage.shtml4.   Thomas, Pauline Weston. â€Å"A Woman's Place in Victorian Society – Social andFashion history.† December 4, 2008.http://www.fashion-era.com/a_womans_place.htm