NetBeans is Javas Popular Software Development Platform

NetBeans is a popular software development platform, mostly for Java, that provides wizards and templates to help developers build applications quickly and easily. It includes modular components across a wide range of tools and features an IDE (integrated development environment) that allows developers to create applications using a GUI. While NetBeans  is primarily a tool for Java developers, it also supports PHP, C and C and HTML5. NetBeans History NetBeans origins stem from a university project at the Charles University of Prague in the Czech Republic in 1996. Charmingly called Zelfi  IDE for Java (a takeoff on the programming language Delphi), NetBeans  was the first Java IDE ever. The students were enthused about it and worked to turn it into a commercial product. It In the late 90s, it was acquired by Sun Microsystems which  integrated it into its set of Java tools and then turned it over to open source. By June 2000, the original netbeans  site was launched. Oracle purchased Sun in 2010 and thus also acquired NetBeans, which continues as an open source project sponsored by Oracle. It now resides at  Ã¢â‚¬â€¹www.netbeans.org. What Can Netbeans Do? The philosophy behind NetBeans is to provide an extensibleIDE that provides all the tools necessary to develop desktop, enterprise, web and mobile applications. The ability to install plug-ins allows developers to tailor the IDE to their individual development tastes. In addition to the IDE, NetBeans includes the NetBeans Platform, a framework for building applications with Swing and JavaFX, the Java GUI toolkits. This means that NetBeans provides pluggable menu and toolbar items, helps manage windows and perform other tasks when developing a GUI. Various bundles can be downloaded, depending on the primary programming language you use (e.g,  Java SE, Java SE and JavaFX,  Java EE). Although it doesnt really matter, as you can pick and choose which languages to program with through the plug-in manager. Primary Features Swing GUI Builder:  Drag and drop Swing components to build an applications GUI.JavaFX UI toolkit: Work with JavaFX in the same way as Swing, easily incorporating its components.Developer Collaboration:  Work with other developers on using NetBeans through the Netbeans Community which includes forums, tutorials, training materials  and the NetBeans Dream Team, a group of committed enthusiasts.Netbeans Platform:  The modular NetBeans Platform provides APIs to help make desktop applications easier by handling some of the more common tasks involved in developing Swing applications. Netbeans Releases and Requirements NetBeans is cross-platform, meaning that it runs on any platform that supports the Java Virtual Machine including Windows, Mac OS X, Linus, and Solaris.   Although open source — meaning that it is run by the community  Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã‚  NetBeans adheres to a regular, rigorous release schedule. The most recent release was 8.2 in October 2016. NetBeans runs on the Java SE Development Kit (JDK) which includes the  Java Runtime Environment as well as a set of tools for testing and debugging Java applications. The version of the JDK required depends on the NetBeans version you are using.   All these tools are free.

Negative Effects of Cell Phones - 1731 Words

Technology is anything that people use to make a task easier. A cell phone is a type of technology that is a common thing to see in everyday life. The world and the people in it have gotten used to this technology. Cell phones are making the lives of an estimated two hundred sixty five million Americans (Natterson 103) and three billion worldwide (Natterson 103), easier. As useful as cell phones may be, there are negative effects in over using cell phones. Cell phone technology was first developed in the 1980’s, but cell phones became common in the early 1990’s (Firestone 24). As time progressed so did the cell phone’s technology. Cell phones became digital in the early 1990’s; making them more affordable and small enough to comfortably†¦show more content†¦DNA is damaged by mobile phone radiation. The stronger the intensity of the radiation the greater the damage is done to the brain. DNA damage increases the risk for cancer. The risk for a harm ful effect is small with short calls and get worse over time. To minimize the damage to DNA make shorter calls (Mobile Phone Safety). Swedish researcher Leif Salford, neurosurgeon, found that blood-brain barrier protects the brain from inflow of harmful substances from the bloodstream. It was disrupted by mobile phone microwaves during normal calls. There is a risk that disruption of this protection barrier may damage the brain (Mobile Phone Safety). When signal is weak, mobile phones irradiate. Avoid speaking in elevators and other confined places. Avoid calling close to children and pregnant women because the thin skulls of children increases brain tumor risk (Mobile Phone Safety). People should be very restrictive when using cell phones because scientific evidence has proved serious hazards like brain tumors (Mobile Phone Safety). People below 20 have a higher risk in getting cancer and should have mobile phones that allow SMS messages only (Mobile Phone Safety). Cell phones have also caused psychological problems to people. In Spain two 900/1800 MHz mobile phone base stations showed people with symptoms of depressive tendency, fatigue, sleeping disorder, difficulty in concentration, and loss of memory (Mobile Phones Brain Damage). Cell phones can aid in losing focus orShow MoreRelatedNegative Effects Of Cell Phones1318 Words   |  6 Pagesthe conclusion that there is a strong correlation between the usage of cell phones and personal health. Studies show that cell phones emit radiofrequency energy, which is a form of electromagnetic radiation and it is proven that radiation exposure to the human body is hazardous. Technology has its ups and downs, with that being said cell phones are a good example of how sometimes advancements can be good and bad. Yes, cell phones have a lot of fun things to do, from playing your latest and favoriteRead MoreNegative Effects Of Cell Phones1465 Words   |  6 Pagestremendously. Almost everyone has had a c ell phone since middle school age, or even younger. People spend an average of five hours on their phones a day from recent studies (Perez, 2017). Cell phones are a means of communicating with people more often and faster. The average cell phone user spends two hours a day using them. This shows that out of all the down time people have from school, jobs, or other activities, they are usually going to be on their cell phones. Almost everyone is addicted to havingRead MoreThe Negative Effects Of Cell Phones717 Words   |  3 Pages In todays technological era we rely heavily on technology, from our phones all the way to our Smart Tvs. However, peoples need to bring their smartphones with them everywhere they go has started to become a problem regarding the way we connect with others. We need better cell phone etiquette because without it the way people intermingle could completely change in a negative way. A lack of a stricter cell phone etiquette has led people to stop interactin g with each other, live their lives throughRead MoreNegative Effects Of Cell Phones1005 Words   |  5 Pagesthat were involved by the cause of having a cell phone. Mobile device has a great impact in the human race, by advancing in technology and causing harm in lives. Cell phone etiquette is not disrespecting a person by discarding the conversation and getting on the phone. Today’ s modern world people all around the planet have a cellular device, but do people really know how to use a cell phone? Why do teachers get so frustrated when a student is on their phone while there lecturing? People all aroundRead MoreNegative Effects Of Cell Phones707 Words   |  3 PagesAlmost everyone in the world owns a cell phone. In previous years, mobile devices did not exist. Surprisingly, people would have to use their house phone that everyone in their family shared or they would have to wait until they could the person and talk to them face to face. But, our technology just keeps get ting better. Cell phones allow people to communicate quicker and easier that they have become apart of people’s everyday lives. Sadly, there are many negative affects of always having our mobileRead MoreNegative Effects Of Cell Phones1192 Words   |  5 PagesIn this day and age, more than half of the worlds population owns and uses cell phones. It is a well-known fact that cell phones emit low doses of radiation each time one is used, however, people tend to brush it off and not think about the long-term effects it may have. Its only small doses, what harm can come from it? That is a question us cell phone users may ask ourselves, yet never really look into or research. Maybe its because we choose not to know the actual truth and just focus on theRead MoreNegative Effects Of Cell Phones1100 Words   |  5 Pagescreated the thing that runs the lives of many ---- a cell phone. For those living under a rock, cell phones are portable telephones that requires cellular network ( ATT, Verizon and Tmobile) to make and receive phone calls. For the first time ever, a generation of kids are going through their adolescence with smartphones. As stated by Pew Research Center, â€Å"75% of 12-17 year-olds now own cell phones, up from 45% in 2004† (Lenhart 1). As cell phones advanced over the years, the increase of adolescenceRead MoreNegative Effects of Cell Phone of Society1609 Words   |  7 PagesSteve Sheridan Professor Simakowicz 1st Draft Paper 13 April 2010 â€Å"Do Cell Phones Help or Hinder Society?† Times have changed tremendously in the last twenty five years in regards to how the world communicates with each other. The birth of new technology such as cell phones with internet capability, laptop computers, and even the recently released I-Pad has made communication with anyone outside of talking distance immediately accessible. Even though to many people this seems like a movement in theRead MoreNegative Effects Of Texting And Cell Phones894 Words   |  4 PagesTexting and cell phones have, of all age groups, likely affected kids the most. In one way, it has made young kids more socially awkward. These kids are being raised having more communication on social media portals and by texting much more often than face to face interaction. This problem will only get worse as we progress into the future. Children that are raised being able to front their problems and meet new people by using a phone will greatly lack the ability to deal with problems face to faceRead MoreNegative Ef fects Of Technology On Cell Phones807 Words   |  4 PagesWith the growth of new technology, society is becoming too dependent on cell phones. Although communication and information may be important over a screen, it may take away from interaction in society. Overuse can cause negative side effects when it is not available as well as take away the overall experience of life itself. Cellular technology has contributed to negative and positive factors. It is best to view each side and understand how to best use it for a healthy lifestyle. To begin with,

When I Was a Lad Free Essays

Throughout my life, a number of events have happened that I have never forgotten. None of these things are particularly important, but each of them have made such an impression on me that I have never been able to get them out of my mind. Each of them have remained seared on my memory. We will write a custom essay sample on When I Was a Lad or any similar topic only for you Order Now The first occurred when I was about five or six years old, every weekend my family and I would go into town to do the weekly shopping. My sisters and I would each be given a pound with which to buy an ice cream. If we had any change left over, we would go to a nearby sweet shop and buy a small pick ‘n’ mix. However, one day, we passed by a bookshop which was filled from floor to ceiling with shelves upon shelves of books and magazines. In the window, was the 1992 Beano Annual which I wanted more than anything in the world. I used to buy the Beano comic every week on the way home from school with the change from my dinner money. I pleaded with my parents to buy me it but they told me that I would have to save up my change from my ice cream every week until I had enough money to buy it myself. My elder sister had also seen a book she liked and so decided to save up her money as well. So every weekend I would purchase a small ice cream instead of a large one so as to receive more change. However, my sister still purchased a large ice cream so she received less change than me. After a month or two of saving, my father took my sister and I back to the bookshop. I was quite confident that I would have a bit of money left over and I was correct, after I had purchased the Beano Annual I had a pound to spare. However, when it came to buying my sisters book she was just under a pound short of purchasing it. I thought that it served her right for being so greedy by purchasing a large ice cream every week. However, she started to cry, right in the middle of the shop. People were turning around and staring at us, so my dad took my pound off me and gave it to my sister! I was outraged! I hadn’t had small ice creams all those weeks while she had large ones just so I could give my money to her! I stormed out of the shop and ran away as fast as I could, but my father soon caught up with me and gave me a good telling off before dragging me home. Now that I look back, I don’t see why I made such a big deal about it. The next thing that stands out in my mind, happened two or three years later when my family and I went on holiday to Majorca. We stayed in an apartment on the top floor of the building that was directly next to the beach. The sun beamed down on us every day that we were there so we were on the beach most days. The beach was in a secluded bay in Porta Pollenca and the water was a lot warmer than at any British beaches. A couple of days into the holiday, my elder sister and I rented a pedalo. A pedalo is a funny looking rowing boat that is sailed by means of pedals and steered by a sort of joystick. We decided to pedal out into the middle of the bay where there was a small rocky island that would only be able to hold about three people at a squeeze. It took about five minute to reach the tiny island and we decided to get out and sit on it. We sat and looked out back at the beach and talked for what must have been about five minutes. My sister looked at her watch and said that we should be going as our parents would be wondering where we were so we turned around to get back into the pedalo only to find that it had gone! We looked around the bay and saw that it had floated quite a long way away, we were stranded! None of us could swim very well so we couldn’t swim out to the pedalo. It was then that a large green crab crawled up onto the rock. My sister is afraid of anything with eight limbs, spiders and crabs alike, so she started to scream at the top of her voice and jump up and down, flailing her arms around. Everybody on shore started to point and stare at us. In the end, someone phoned the lifeguard and they came out and took us back to shore, it was so humiliating! It is memories like these that have shaped me into who I am today. I still have the 1992 Beano Annual up in the attic along with photographs of my holiday to Majorca. But in several years time, when these things are covered in layers of dust and are just about ready to fall apart, the memories that they have given me will live on for eternity in my mind, and when I’m old and senile, I can torture any grandchildren I may have by regailing them with tales of ‘when I was a lad’. How to cite When I Was a Lad, Papers

The Millers Tale Essay Example For Students

The Millers Tale Essay By examining the different elements of humour in The Millers Tale, show how Chaucer makes the comic tale work on different levels.  The principal reason for the vast difference in style of humour in The Millers Tale is derived from the fact that there was such a vast audience that Chaucer was catering for when writing these tales. There would have been great difference in the levels of intellect in the audience, so Chaucer needed to present a large degree of difference in the humour in order to appeal to the different types of audience. Essentially, there are two platforms from which the varying degrees of humour are delivered, and each caters for a different type of audience. One is Chaucer, the intellectual with a higher level of humour who presents the tale to us, and the Miller, the janglere and goliardeys who tells us the tale. We know there is a distinct difference between the two and the type of humour they present to us from when Chaucer sets himself apart from the Miller and his tale in The Millers Prologue, and apologises for what is to be said, Aviseth yow, and put me out of blame; And eek men shal nat maken ernest of game. It is thus obvious to the audience that the tale will contain varying types of humour, catering for its varied audience. There is the higher level humour presented to us through Chaucers presentation of the tale, and one example of this more intellectual humour is the literary parody in which form The Millers Tale is presented to us. The Millers Tale parodies the theme of courtly love, as it imitates generic conventions of a typical courtly love tale (such as its predecessor The Knights Tale). For example there is the whole mockery of the presentation of Alison, who would typically be the courtly lady, but through the description she is presented more like a country wench, the description of her is far from a chaste, virginal one we would expect, She was a primerole, a piggesnie, For any lord to leggen in his bedde, Or yet for any good yeman to wedde. There is also the example of Absolon and his ridiculous portrayal as a courtly lover vowing for the lady, although he would be better suited as the heroine! This is shown through the ridiculous portrayal of him, where he is given qualities such as, Crul was his heer, and as the gold it shoon, his eyen greye as goos, and he song som time a loud quinible. These qualities would be more apt to that of a courtly heroine, and the general nonsensical portrait of him as a courtly gentleman is a parody in itself. These literary parodies would only been appreciated by more intellectual audience, as it relies on certain previous knowledge of the generic conventions of courtly love tales and the humour is derived from ridiculing them. Another humorous feature, which would generally be appreciated only by the more intellectual audience, is the literary irony. For example the epithets used to describe a character throughout, for example hende Nicholas, although by the end, due to events in the narrative, we infer a change in meaning on the word. For example, hende Nicholas at the start of the tale suggests a useful, courteous and kind gentleman to John, but ironically by the end it suggests Nicholas skilful, lustful and successful advances to Alison. This shifting of nuances creates an ironic tone as the exact same language changes the audiences inference of what is being said, especially in the case of hende Nicholas. .u993ec7603368510cc05b8198a1024416 , .u993ec7603368510cc05b8198a1024416 .postImageUrl , .u993ec7603368510cc05b8198a1024416 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u993ec7603368510cc05b8198a1024416 , .u993ec7603368510cc05b8198a1024416:hover , .u993ec7603368510cc05b8198a1024416:visited , .u993ec7603368510cc05b8198a1024416:active { border:0!important; } .u993ec7603368510cc05b8198a1024416 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u993ec7603368510cc05b8198a1024416 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u993ec7603368510cc05b8198a1024416:active , .u993ec7603368510cc05b8198a1024416:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u993ec7603368510cc05b8198a1024416 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u993ec7603368510cc05b8198a1024416 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u993ec7603368510cc05b8198a1024416 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u993ec7603368510cc05b8198a1024416 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u993ec7603368510cc05b8198a1024416:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u993ec7603368510cc05b8198a1024416 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u993ec7603368510cc05b8198a1024416 .u993ec7603368510cc05b8198a1024416-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u993ec7603368510cc05b8198a1024416:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Growth after Loss EssayThe tale is full of dramatic ironic moments, which would appeal to a wider audience, not just the more intelligent audience; these are based on events that occur in the narrative so little previous knowledge of generic conventions or a high grasp of linguistic knowledge is required on the audiences part, simply a reasonably close following to the narrative. This is why this humour opens up the comedy of the tale to a wider audience. Moments of real dramatic irony in the tale include Alisons response to Nicholas initial advances, I wol nat kisse thee, by my fey! This turns out to be highly ironic as Nicholas obtains his sexual desires only soon after this idle threat of chastity. Another, more humorous example of this arises from Nicholas duping of John, through heavily ironic flattery to John, Thou art so wys, it needeth thee nat teche. This is humorous in its irony, as Nicholas has just previously told John what to do exactly and how to do it; the fact that sely John sees himself as intelligent would be humorous to a wide audience. This seemingly intelligent level of humour stands alongside the extremely simple slapstick, almost visual (through language and imagery) type of humour we are given through the platform of the Miller. This would be more appealing to the less intelligent audience, as this bawdy, slapstick humour requires little or no thought. For example, the incident in which Absolon pokes Nicholas amidde his ers with the hoote koulter. This coarse slapstick humour is included by Chaucer through the Miller in order to please the less intelligent audience, this would be regarded somewhat as cheap thrills to a modern audience. There is also the type of humour that comes from mocking and laughing at the characters. Again this level of humour would appeal equally to a less intelligent audience, as it doesnt rely on previous audience knowledge; and a more intelligent audience who appreciate the fabliau genre of the tale. This form of humour is particularly effective in the tale, as we dont form a strong empathetic or sympathetic bond with any of the characters. One of the reasons for this is because we are told the tale in the 3rd person, so we never get a chance to become close or truly empathise with them, unlike if the tale was in the first person. Another reason is the nature of the tale; the fabliau genre of the tale is typically the same normal narrative with the same type of characters (ie the cuckhold, the student) so its hard to empathise with a tale with typical generic conventions, such as fabliaux tales. Examples of this laugh at characters humour includes the general mocking of Absolon in general and his ridiculous nature and love-longinge. Also, the audience laughs at John as he is cuckholded, and Nick is also the butt of jokes when he gets his painful comeuppance from Absolon, And Nicholas is scalded in the towte. The theme of crudeness and innuendo is also a form of humour that would typically be appreciated by the less intelligent audience, and this features frequently in the tale through the platform of the Miller. The tale is littered with coarse and sexual language, the use of the word queynte at the end of successive lines with very different meanings. This crudeness would be welcomed with shocked hilarity to the audience of the day. The less intelligent, more common audience would generally have appreciated the coarse and vulgar language more. In conclusion, it is evident that there is a vast variety of humour in the tale, which appeals to the vast audience. These are essentially given to us through two platforms, the Miller and Chaucer, the Miller usually providing laughs for a less intelligent audience whereas Chaucer provides humour for a more intelligent audience. For some of the humour to work, it relies on an attentive audience, for example the more intellectual humour such as the literary parody and the irony, it expects some previous knowledge in order for it to be appreciated; however, some of the crude slapstick humour only requires a loose following of the narrative. The vast type of humour all works on different levels in order to appeal to great diversity in the audience, so there is humour for everyone in this tale.

AsianAmericans and concentration camps essays

AsianAmericans and concentration camps essays In the early 1940s, there was evidence of Japanese-American loyalty and innocence, but the information was not always well known. This, coupled with the factors of war hysteria led to the legal upholding of concentration camps in Korematsu v. U.S. (1944). The injustice was clouded, most immediately by the war, and indirectly by racism at home. The sneak attack on Pearl Harbor left a permanent indent on the way Americans viewed the Japanese. Indeed, it was this one act which thrust the isolationist U.S. into the middle of the worlds biggest war. The brutal attack, so close to home, was viewed as sneaky and underhanded. This, added to the fact that the Japanese were rumored to have an amazingly effective spy system on Hawaii and the West Coast, led the Japanese-Americans to become highly suspected individuals. They were even a more immediate threat than communists, since they required an eventual takeover, and Germans, since they were preoccupied by numerous enemies. In addition, the Japanese-Americans were concentrated on the Western Coast and could thus organize better. There is also the chasm of culture; ignorance is the key to racism, and the average American knew very little of the lifestyle and customs of the Far East. This led to more suspicion. There were also facts going against the Japanese-Americans. According to the Munson Report, 98% of Japanese-Americans were loyal to the U.S. This is an impressive number; however, in times of war, 2% sabotaging on mainland America was a major threat. A more startling fact that tarnished the Japanese-American reputation was the fact that Japan was rumored to have an extremely effective spy system on the West Coast. There were even some conspiracy theorists that rationalized that the sneaky Japanese were merely waiting for the right time to strike, as they did at Pearl Harbor. The people were scared of the Japanese, and in a democracy, the people have a voice...

History of Post Office Technology

History of Post Office Technology At the turn of the 20th century, the Post Office Department relied entirely on antiquated mailhandling operations, such as the pigeonhole method of letter sorting, a holdover from colonial times. Although crude sorting machines were proposed by inventors of canceling machines in the early 1900s and tested in the 1920s, the Great Depression and World War II postponed widespread development of post office mechanization until the mid-1950s. The Post Office Department then took major steps toward mechanization by initiating projects and awarding contracts for the development of a number of machines and technologies, including letter sorters, facer-cancelers, automatic address readers, parcel sorters, advanced tray conveyors, flat sorters, and letter mail coding and stamp-tagging technology. Post Office Sorting Machines Post Office Cancelers Post Office Optical Character Reader Mechanization increased productivity. By the mid-1970s, however, it was clear that cheaper, more efficient methods and equipment were needed if the Postal Service was to offset rising costs associated with growing mail volume. To reduce the number of mail piece handlings, the Postal Service began to develop an expanded ZIP Code in 1978. The new code required new equipment. The Post Office entered the age of automation in September 1982 when the first computer-driven single-line optical character reader was installed in Los Angeles. The equipment required a letter to be read only once at the originating office by an OCR, which printed a barcode on the envelope. At the destinating office, a less expensive barcode sorter (BCS) sorted the mail by reading its barcode. Following the introduction of the ZIP4 code in 1983, the first delivery phase of the new OCR channel sorters and BCSs was completed by mid-1984. Today, a new generation of equipment is changing the way mail flows and improving productivity. Multiline optical character readers (MLOCRs) read the entire address on an envelope, spray a barcode on the envelope, then sort it at the rate of more than nine per second. Wide area barcode readers can read a barcode virtually anywhere on a letter. Advanced facer-canceler systems face, cancel, and sort mail. The remote barcoding system (RBCS) provides barcoding for handwritten script mail or mail that cannot be read by OCRs. Walk-It Until now, most of the emphasis in automation has been processing machine-imprinted mail. Still, letter mail with addresses that were handwritten or not machine-readable had to be processed manually or by a letter sorting machine. The RBCS now allows most of this mail to receive delivery point barcodes without being removed from the automated mailstream. When MLOCRs cannot read an address, they spray an identifying code on the back of the envelope. Operators at a data entry site, which may be far from the mail processing facility, read the address on a video screen and key a code that allows a computer to determine the ZIP Code information. The results are transmitted back to a modified barcode sorter, which pulls the 11-digit ZIP Code information for that item, and sprays the correct barcode on the front of the envelope. The mail then can be sorted within the automated mailstream. Handling Paper Flow Competition and Change Competition grew for every postal product. The rise of fax machines, electronic communications, and other technologies offered alternatives for conveying bills, statements, and personal messages. Entrepreneurs and publishing companies set up alternate delivery networks in an attempt to hold down the costs of delivering magazines and newspapers. Many third-class mailers, finding their mailing budgets reduced and their postage rates increased higher than expected, began shifting some of their expenditures to other forms of advertising, including cable television and telemarketing. Private companies continued to dominate the market for the urgent delivery of mail and packages.

Terry Fox Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Terry Fox - Research Paper Example Also right from the starting, he have a dream –- to run through over Canada to raise cash for cancer research. This is what Terrys story of hope was all about. Through a smart blend of visual components and a simple to-read, ordered story, Maxin Trottier shows Terrys progresses from a conventional Canadian kid with hopeful inclinations to became resolved a successfully adolescent sportsperson who influence millions to do their part for cancer research. Memorabilia, quotes and photographs give a scrapbook-style presentation of the story support the content strongly as well as successfully hold the reader’s interest. Leslie Scriveners book, Terry Fox - His Story, is initially distributed in 1981, on the other hand in 1983 and 2000 by The Terry Fox Foundation. The first version is composed while Terry is still alive. The new release, recognized the twentieth year of the Marathon of Hope, giving upgrades on how Terrys legacy exist. The book is composed in ordered request and incorporates numerous eminent pictures and extracts from Terrys diary. It is a book worth perusing for such a large number of explanations. If you find the opportun ity, I trust you appreciate and are roused. This moving document on a man whose bravery raised $20,000,000 for an admirable motivation is additionally a valid look at the account of determination. When Fox choose to run in the cross-country marathon (5,150 miles) to raise cash for cancer research, his guardians, his physician, and his companions contradicted the idea however he persevered, persuading a companion with a camper to support him. The noteworthy contributions of Terry Fox got to be especially obvious in the year 1976, after he started treatment for cancer and saw the enduring of other cancer patients. Trottier incorporates actualities about the astonishing chain of occasions that roused him to make this

Film Review Critique Movie Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Film Critique - Movie Review Example The reviews highlight some of the outstanding aspects of the film. This paper will present a critical analysis of three of the reviews of the movie. The director of this movie sought to tell the story of the 1937 massacre from the perspective of a non-Chinese individual. This is the reason why the film presents the story from the perspective of John Miller, an American who found himself in the middle of the events defining the massacre. He was unable to escape the main city in time a factor that forced him to find refuge in a Catholic cathedral. In the cathedral, he found a group of schoolgirls and an altar boy. Although he was drunk at that moment, he faced the compulsion of protecting the schoolgirls from attacks by the Japanese. In addition to the schoolgirls, some prostitutes also found shelter in the cathedral. John Miller was forced by the situation to take responsibility in protecting the schoolgirls as well as the prostitutes. He was helped by the altar boy named George towards their status of heroism (Errigo 2012, n.p). The review of the movie The Flowers of War written by Angie Errigo highlights several aspects of the movie. The review begins by presenting a summary of the plot in which Errigo highlights the role played by John Miller in saving the schoolgirls. She is keen to mention that he was poised to pose as a priest in order to successfully protect the schoolgirls. However, her summary of the plot leaves some of the critical details that define the plot. The review then focuses on describing the efforts made by the director Zhang Yimou. The review mentions that the director has had previous experience releasing films that earned global attention. In this review, the theme of the film, which seeks to retell the events of the 1937 siege of China by Japan is highlighted. The review acknowledges that this theme has been the focus of different directors with each bringing out a unique product. Errigo

Web based Health Care Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Web based Health Care - Essay Example Sites need to sign up for the HONcode to ensure that they follow the eight principles of this code. Through this then individuals can check out for the red and blue seal of the HONcode on the websites they visit to look for information on different health conditions. One example of a site is the American Diabetes association that provides continuous care to the diabetes patients and enables other individuals to learn about the management, diagnosis and symptoms of diabetes. It also advises individuals on what to eat and what foods to avoid by giving out recipes. The main objective of this site is to cure and prevent diabetes and to improve the lives of all the individuals affected by diabetes. The eight principles of the HONcode comprise of: the authority of the data provided, information privacy and confidentiality; accurate attribution of sources; the transparency of economic sponsorship; the significance of evidently separating editorial content from advertising; complimentary data that does not replace but supports the patient-doctor relationship, and back up assertions concerning performance and benefits. The American Diabetes Association (ADA) website is one of the sites that are abiding by the eight rules of the HON code. In authoritative, when the site publishes a journal about diabetes and made available online for individuals to access it and benefit from the information, the authors of the journals and their qualifications are always indicated. Besides, the sites abides with the third code which is privacy, since if a visitor shares information online to the site, the site does not let the information known to any user of the site as it ensures the information is made private and confidential. Also, if information has been acquired from other sources, the site ensures that it has included the citations, the page of the journal from where the information was retrieved, and the date the journal was published. Through this, the site is trying to

The Strategies to achieve competitive positions

The Strategies to achieve competitive positions Choose one of the four competitive positions mentioned in the strategy lecture and discuss, using examples, the marketing strategies an organisation would employ to achieve that position. Competitive strategies are chosen by firms depending on their roles in the market leader, challenger, follower or nicher. This essay will focus on firms who are market leaders and what marketing strategies are used to help them achieve that position. Every industry has its own market leader. Kotler, P. (2005) believes the market leader is one that has the largest market share or highest profitability margin in a given market for goods and services. Market leader often leads other firms in product innovation, price changes; distribution channels and promotion strategies. Good examples of market leaders would be Apple with their ranges of IPod, touch phones and tablet computer, Google with its search engine, social networking Facebook and Tesco (supermarket chains). Market leadership is extremely important. Almost every firm wants to be the first in the market. The reason is not only the revenue but it is because most customers prefer to buy from leaders. They perceive leaders to be better and they perceive leaders to be a safer purchase. Reference groups are great in influencing consumers behaviour. People tend to buy from where everyone else buys, this helps strengthening the leaders position. To become a market leader, a firm needs to own and control the relevant technology in whatever market it is in either through the use of patent or other proprietary protections. Moreover, it needs to adopt and implement better technologies directly, whenever they become available, regardless of whether or not any other organisations are currently using them. It is critical to be the first to use a technology or create a category for a product. Then make it an industry standard. Baines, P., Fill, C. Page, K. (2008) defined the two main strategies used by firms to achieve market leadership position are: Attack the market Defend the position Apart from expanding the total demand and protecting market share, the market leaders should try to expanding market share, even if market size remains constant (Kotler Gary, 2005). Forth strategy is proposed by Brassington, F Pettitt, S. (2006) who believed that companies should also seek stability and retention of customer base. In this essay, the four strategies will be analysed with appropriate examples of firms that applied those strategies successfully and firms that failed during competition. Attack the market Attack the market can be operated in different ways. The firms can create new uses, new consumers categories or increase frequency of use. This strategy is extremely popular as the dominant firm normally gains the most when the total market expands. In general, the market leader should look for new customers or more usage from existing customers. Every product has the potential of attracting buyers who are unaware of the product or who are still under consideration because of price or the products do not have some certain features. A company can search for new users among three groups: those who might use it but do not (market-penetration strategy), those who have never used it (new-market segment strategy), or those who live elsewhere (geographical-expansion strategy). Example: Johnson Johnson baby shampoo was losing market share due to birth rate declining, they had expand their customers segmentation, targeting adults which helped them regain their leader position. (New user) Kelloggs Crunchy Nut has expanded their ranges and introduced snack bars which increase frequency of use, relatively increase sales of the product. Defend the position/Protect market share The leader must constantly monitor the market because the market challenger is persistently trying to take away market share or worse, to replace the leaders position in the market. The firms can defend their positions in the market and their market share by monitoring their position, regular innovation; eliminate any weaknesses, price cutting and discount, increases promotion. Defend the position in the market is a difficult task for market leaders since they may be under attack from numbers of different competitors small to medium firms in the existing market or big players want to expand from a completely different industry. Although defence strategies may require a deployment of resources to defend different parts of the operation, it is hard of a challenger brand to dislodge a market leader if the market leader is actively defending territory. There are six different ways in defense strategy which are: Position defense (purely defensive is not enough, firms must take offensive counter-measure). It is considered as the least successful in the defense strategies. This defense was use by Mercedes until Toyota launched a frontal attack with its Lexus. Mobile defense (more than aggressively defend, stretches domain over new territories) E.g.: Legend Holdings, the top China PC maker Legend has announced a joint venture with AOL to broaden its business to provide Internet services in the mainland. Flanking defense (guarding territory is not enough, firms must create outposts/flanks to protect weak front and invasion base for counter attack) E.g. Gold Eagle is a flanking brand introduced by San Miguel in the Philippines as a defense against APBs Beerhausen. Contraction defense (strategic withdrawal: give up weak territories, concentrates strength and resources at more dependable areas). The market leader must make its own assessment to prioritise the importance of territories and should be willing to relinquish those that are not important to defend for those that are. E.g. Indias TATA Group sold its soaps and detergents business units to Unilever in 1993 or Ford retired T-birds and Probe to focus on Contour and Taurus. Pre-emptive defense (Detect potential attacks and attack the enemies first) Seiko with 2,300 watch models is considered as a successful example for this category while Heinz proved failure as they did not respond to Hunts attack which leaded to Hunt established a rival brand. Counter-offensive defense (Respond to competitors head-on attack by identifying the attackers weakness and then launch a counter attack) E.g. Toyota launched the Lexus to respond to Mercedes attack. Continuous innovation is considered as the best way to protect market share and is required for long-term leadership. When leaders become self-satisfied with their products or services, it becomes easier for the challenger to make progress. In large markets, small increases in market share can turn into great sales increases; a one-point gain in market share can be worth hundreds of millions of pounds. However not every firm understands the importance of continuous innovative process and often failed in retaining their positions in the market. Companies are hindered from investing and following through with innovation because they fear cannibalising established products (Tellis Golder, 1996). In order to protect mainframe sales, IBM obstructed its development of minicomputers and workstations while competitors kept making inroads into the mainframe market. Another reason why companies are less worried about innovation is that they are satisfied with their progress. Yahoo was satisfied with its social networking Yahoo 360Â  [1]Â  until the company started to lose market share to Facebook and Friendster in Asia. Thirdly, large bureaucracies can discourage innovations or slow the progress when companies bring new products to market. GM and IBM are well-known examples for this problem. Despite their technological strength and financial resources, both companies were slow to bring out new products because of their bureaucratic approval process. Firms that do well in continuous innovation are Apple, Procter Gamble. Apple was certainly not the first manufacturer to MP3 players but its iPod was totally different to anything else on the market at the time of its release. Apple has a large range of IPod from IPod shuffle, IPod Nano with stylish shapes or IPod classic for music lovers as they can hold a great number of files and IPod touch for multifunctional uses. The firm also introduced to its customers a range of IPhone from 2G-3GS and promising the new version of IPhone (IPhone 5) in 2011. Procter Gamble the worlds largest consumer products company- takes innovation seriously which shown in their heavily investment in innovative process. They outspend competition in Research and Development believing if they provide branded products of superior quality and value that improve the lives of the worlds consumers, consumers will reward them with leadership sales, profit and value creations. They are well-known for their open innovation outlook. As not all brilliant ideas are coming from internal, it is critically for firms to seek new ideas, innovations from outside. PG has introduced three different networks in which they encouraged their employees to interact with outside world or link different companies in different part of the world working towards a same goal. By doing this, they have received exceptional amount of new ideas, innovative products to increase sales and market share in consumers market. Expand market share Expand market share can gain great profits for the company but there is a drawback. Too many customers can put a strain on the firms resources, hurting product value and service delivery. Example: America Online experienced growing pains when its customer base expanded, resulting in system outages and access problems (Kotler Keller, 2006). Consumers may also infer that bigger is not better and assume that growth will lead to a deterioration of quality. If exclusivity is a key brand benefit, existing customer may resent additional new customers. (Kotler Keller, 2006) This strategy can be operated via the marketing mix. However this strategy can provoke antitrust action or anti-dumping charge. Vietnamese rice export market has received multiple charges on dumping issues in European market trying to gain more market share in short period of time. Economic cost such as legal costs needs to be taking in consideration. Wrong marketing mix strategy is also one of the problems firms face when expanding market share (for example: focus on unattractive segments). Successful example of firm in expanding market share is Starbucks. The company plans to continue to rapidly expand its retail operations, grow its specialty sales and other operations, and selectively pursue opportunities to leverage the Starbucks brand through the introduction of new products and the development of new distribution channels. Seek stability and retention of customer base Tesco is a great example for applying this strategy. They try to retain customers loyal via promotion and Club card which customers can save as they shop and spend the points on various products. Tesco seeks stability, it competes on prices with rivals such as Sainsburys and Asda, although it also focuses on customer service, how to deliver good service with reasonable price to the customers. It is important that leader firms understand their strengths and weaknesses, also have a clear view of their competitors in the market. Choosing the right defense strategy is critical in order to retain their position as leaders and continue to expand the total market and market share, as well as profitability. Market leaders should take innovation seriously in order to stay in the leading position.

Union Essay -- essays research papers

Collective Bargaining: a process in which representatives of Labor & Mgmt negotiate the terms & conditions of employment. Structure: Single Employer Bargaining: a single employer involved w/ a single union (can also bargain w/ more than 1 unit). Boutique is a specialized Taylor agreement b/w employer & unit (usually seen in oligopolistic type market) Pattern Bargaining: Pick a target firm & then form an agreement (Pay, benefits, etc.) called a pattern (i.e. 6% over 2 years). Ex: The Caterpillar Company – United Automobiles Union (DEER) the Union wanted a pattern, company did not so they went on strike, ended up going back to work w/ no agreement, and then went on strike again. They ended up accepting less than the pattern. Bridgestone & United rubber are another example. They stroke because company would not allow ‘em to pattern bargain. Union did not survive strike, now combined w/ steel workers unions. Multi-Employer Bargaining: Employer meets w/ all units & comes up w/ the same agreement (i.e. all athletes, all grocery workers, etc.) They form an employers association & the representative of that negotiates. Book: a behavior theory of Labor Negotiations – Richard Walton & Robert McKenzie. It revolutionized thinking about negotiations. This book was done in both perspectives instead of just one side. There are 4 aspects of negotiation: 1.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Distributive Bargaining: involves $ typically & how $ distributed. Fixed sum is usually how $ is distributed. Union wants a bigger piece of the pie & company wants to hold onto that piece of that pie. Labor & Mgmt view each other as adversaries. Union asks for everything & a lot of it. Mgmt says take away, loss of privileges a little more subtle approach. 2.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Integrative Bargaining: The 2 groups get together & problem solve on ways to make the pie bigger. They get along w/ each other & must be creative. Their view is productivity can never be high enough. In the 1980’s Chrysler Corp. had a lot of problems & were setting records for losing $. They only had big cars that were gas-guzzlers (headed for bankruptcy). Chief Executive, Iakoka wanted to buy a little time so that they would be ok. Company wanted Gov. to bail ‘em out w/ working capital to get the company going again. Gov. did not lend the $, but offe... ...ucation Association, American Nurses Association, Union of American Physicians & Dentist) Law: State & local about  ½ states 1.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Right to unionize & bargain collectively 2.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Unfair labor practices for employers & unions 3.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Procedures for union representation elections 4.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Administration by a state board (i.e. California Public Employment Relation Board) 5.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Impasse Resolution procedures (i.e. mediation) 6.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Allowance for grievance arbitration Strikes: Workers in private industries have the right to strike (Section 7 of NLRA) 1.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Strikes that imperil the national health or safety 2.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A no strike clause in the collective bargaining agreement Public Employee Strikes: Law forbids strikes by Fed. & postal workers. Strikes by state & local Gov. employees are prohibited in most jurisdictions (State, Fed, Local, Areas) Only 12 states allow a limited right to strike: Oregon, CA, Idaho, Illinois, Wisconsin, Alaska, Ohio, Vermont, Montana, Hawaii.

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas The movie, â€Å"The Boy in the Striped Pajamas,† was a very interesting but sad movie. It made me think about how children really don't see a lot of things and how they are very innocent. The way the Jews were being treated made me really upset at how things were really running like that in Germany without many countries not noticing, especially the United States, until years later when they had gone to war.But by then, many people had died, or became survivors without any family, homes or any of their elongings at all. It was ridiculous in the way they got away with a lot of things. Their own people in the country thought that it wasn't even bad and they saw the Jews as the enemies. Brunos father who was in charge of the concentration camp though he was doing the right thing, but until his own son died, he was in complete shock. He didn't know what to do anymore. He was Just standing there and couldn't believe it.I think he realized what he was doing and how things drastically changed for his amily and him, especially in how many children and Jews he had been killing in the camp. I really liked how there was friendship in the movie though. Shmuel and Bruno had met, and Bruno would go visit him and talk to him and try to play with him sometimes. But Shmuel couldn't play, because he was very unhealthy and dehydrated, he could barely run. It would break my heart when Bruno would try to bring him food, but he would drop it along the way.I really liked the acting in the ovie; it made everything look so real, even the setting was nice. I really don't know how or what they did to make the prisoners in the movie seem so skinny as if they hadn't ate in months. Pavel who was the butler in the house, would Just peel potatoes all day, it was really horrid when he got beat up for dropping the glass of wine on the dinner table. Many people had to give up their dreams and school Just like Pavel did. It's hard to imagine if that would ha ve happened to me and my family.I wonder what appened to all the people who were involved in this, if they all died or if went to Jail, did they survive? This film also showed me that you shouldn't discriminate any types of people from the rest. It is really sad, because to this day, that's how a lot of people still are and that's the way they think. This is actually one of my favorite movies because it has so many different concepts and it makes you think about many things. Especially to see how far, into friendship you would go. By Jsierra9 The Boy in the Striped Pajamas The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas, based on the novel of the same title, directed by Mark Herman, set in Germany during World War II in the early 1940s. It follows the story of Bruno, an eight-year-old boy living in Berlin, currently under the rule of Adolf Hitler. His father is a commandant at a concentration camp. When his family moves to Auschwitz (or as Bruno believes it to be pronounced: ‘Out-With’) near the concentration camp for his father’s work, Bruno finds himself confined to the front yard of his new home and longs for a friend and an adventure. After finding a way out of the property, he discovers a concentration camp, although at this stage he believes it to be a farm rather than a prison. Bruno quickly develops a friendship with Schmuel, a Jewish boy living in the concentration camp who is the same age as him. Bruno makes several visits to the camp, despite being told by his parents that he is not to venture outside the back gate. Schmuel tells Bruno that his father is missing, while Bruno is informed that he and his sister will go to live with his Aunt. Instead of leaving his home in the country to go back to Berlin, Bruno decides to help Schmuel find his father. He dons striped â€Å"pyjamas† and crosses the fence, with horrific consequences. A character I disliked in the movie was Bruno’s father, Ralf. Ralf is a stereotypical German Nazi commandant in charge of the nearby Auschwitz concentration camp. He is very much in support of Adolf Hitler, believing that the Jewish are bad people. He tries to convince his family that he is making the world a better place. Bruno’s sister, Gretel, supports her father’s views on the matter, and explains to Bruno about the Jewish. â€Å"But Dad just sat there! † â€Å"What did you expect him to do? The Jew deserved it! † Can I ask you something about the farm? † â€Å"Bruno, you don’t think it is a farm, do you? It’s a camp, what’s called a work camp, for Jews. † â€Å"Just Jews, because they are the best workers? † â€Å"They’re not in because they are good, silly, they aren’t good at anything. They are in there because they are evil. They are the enemy, evil dangerous vermin. They’re the reason why we lost the Great War. † Ralf also imposes a fake perception of the concentration camp on his soldiers. He shows them a video that portrays the fact that the camp is a nice place to live and that the Jewish enjoy it there. New arrivals here are happy to discover that life in the camp is not all work and that there’s ample opportunity for leisure also. At the end of their day of ironmongery or the build of boot factory, the workers can enjoy the many forms of pastime that the camp has to offer. Organised sport is very popular. Those that don’t play certainly enjoy watching. At the end of the working day the centrally located cafe is the ideal place for friends and families to join together for a hearty and nutritious meal. The children in particular enjoy the pastries and cakes on offer. In the evenings the occasional music concerts either by visiting orchestras or, indeed, by talented musicians from within the camp itself, are always well attended. Other recreations include reading in the library, pottery, cookery, art and horticulture for adult and child alike. Almost any activity one could wish for is available within the camp. † This description is in stark contrast to what the camp really is like. I find Bruno’s father a horrible person for not telling the truth about the camp. Even his wife doesn’t know what goes on in the camp, and when she finds out, Ralf tells her that he was sworn to secrecy. I think we are lucky that we live in a time when fathers aren’t necessarily bound to their job in such a way that it almost destroys a family. Bruno’s father was brainwashed into believing that the Jewish were bad people and did not deserve to live, as was Bruno’s sister, Gretel. I am glad that in this century we are not so easily led into believing such things. What Ralf did was horrible but in a way he was trying to protect his family – if he had disobeyed Hitler’s orders, he may have ended up in a camp himself or even dead – but in this case his efforts to protect Bruno did not turn out so well. I also think we are lucky that we live in a country where we have enough freedom to disagree with our leaders and have an option to vote them out if necessary. In World War II, if you had a different opinion to Hitler, you were either sentenced to death or put in a concentration camp. Ralf did what was best for his family, but in doing so did some horrific things to other people. I felt extremely sorry for the main protagonist, Bruno, and enjoyed the theme of innocence. Bruno was very young, naive and hardly knew anything about the war. I think his parents and tutor should have informed him better about what was going on outside of his front yard, as he certainly didn’t deserve to die in a concentration camp. If he had known more about the outside world, perhaps he wouldn’t have felt so obliged to explore further and in doing so enter the camp. His innocence is portrayed in this instance, when he is talking to Schmuel through the fence. Bruno: â€Å"Is everything alright? † Schmuel: â€Å"No, we can’t find the Pa. He went on a different work duty with some of the men and they haven’t come back. â€Å"I have got some bad news, too. I’m going away. † â€Å"How long this time? † â€Å"That’s what it’s bad. It’s forever I think. Mum says this is no place for children. † â€Å"It’s just stupid. When do you go? † â€Å"Tomorrow, after lunch. † â€Å"So I won’t ever see you again? † â€Å"Yes, you will. You can come on holiday to Berlin if you like, when everybody is getting on with each other again†¦ I wish I could have helped you find your dad. I really want to make up for letting you down like I did. That would have done it, wouldn’t it? Helping find your dad. Would have been great, like a secret mission. Hey, I could dig under [the fence]! † Bruno then proceeded to dig under the fence and dress in striped â€Å"pyjamas† to help find Schmuel’s Dad. He and Schmuel are marched into a gas chamber, where they both die. I also felt sorry for Bruno when he was having lessons with his tutor, Herr Liszt, as he was being taught very difficult things about the war and how Hitler is a good person. For example: â€Å"I don’t understand: a nation’s collapse is only done to this one man? † â€Å"The Jew here means the entire Jewish race. If it had been just one man, I’m sure something would have been done about him. † â€Å"There is such a thing as a nice Jew, though, isn’t there? † â€Å"I think, Bruno, if you ever found a nice Jew, you would be the best explorer in the world. â€Å" Again, this shows how lucky we are to live in a country where there is no war going on. If we were taught such things in school nowadays, we would have a very different perception of the world. We are not taught biased facts about historical nor current day events, and we are lucky that we are allowed to develop our own opinions without being sentenced to death. I think a child’s innocence is extremely important to hold on to in most instances because it prevents them from many dangers that the world poses, however in this case is was the difference between life and death for Bruno. If his parents had told him why he was not allowed to go to the concentration camp, he would have been aware of the dangers and perhaps not have persisted on visiting Schmuel, but his curiosity and lack of reason from his parents eventually led him to his death.

The Lottery by Shirley Jackson

The Lottery by Shirley Jackson Free Online Research Papers â€Å"The Lottery† is a true expression of Jackson’s genuine thoughts about human beings and their evil capabilities. December 14, 1916, Shirley Jackson was born. When she young she started writing in a journal in 1932. She went to college on and off for a couple of years, until she wrote and published her first book in 1941,†My life with R.H. Macy†. It wasn’t until further short stories were written she published, â€Å"The lottery† in 1948(Hrebik). Jackson was interested in revealing the evil within everyone on her stories. She wrote â€Å"The Lottery† knowing that numerous suggestions and implications would arise from her readers. â€Å"The Lottery† reveals Jacksons bold style of her unique writing. When the word â€Å"lottery† is mentioned, most would think of receiving a large check or a prize instead of receiving stones that knock you down until your beat to death. The conclusion of the story is most shocking because Shirley misleads the reader in the beginning, and she only gives is hints of what happens towards the closing stages. Jackson shows the importance and meaning of ancient vegetation rituals that the village in her story believed was part of their survival in order to ensure good fertile crops. In â€Å"The Lottery†, Old Man Warner states, â€Å"Lottery in June, corn be heavy soon† (Jackson 143). The germination of crops is essential for us to eat, even from back in the past till now in the present. The growers had to sow their seeds and then wait in hopes that it would grow properly. â€Å"from this hope brings ritual†. Some growers thought that the farming of crops symbolized the â€Å"life cycle†. The seeds that were sown symbolized death, but with a little water and sun the seeds that grow symbolize the rebirth.†Life brings death, and death recycles life† (Griffin 44). The ritual that the community performs every June was for a legit reason washing away the sins of the town and blessing the crops so that the town could eat. The death of Mrs. Hutchinson was for the benefit of the entire community; her family should feel proud. There are still those that think â€Å"The Lottery† should end and that it is not fair. Shirley also leaves the principle of stoning open to many views of readers. The villagers threw rocks at an innocent random person until death for the sake of blessing the town with a fertile crop. They don’t remember why they are doing this, but what they do know is that is it tradition and has been for many years. For many periods sacrifices for the purpose of pleasing a god were required according to the villagers. Throughout the different ages sacrificing human flesh for the sins committed started to also apply to the ritual of the farmer’s vegetation (Friedman 63-64).The stoning resembles an ancient tribe in past history, the vicious Aztecs of Mexico. The gods that the Aztec killed came back in a ghostly manner to create the Aztecs world, and the Aztecs feel duty-bound to pay back to the gods what they gave the Aztecs (Burdick 72). Shirley implies that the reason the town is sacrificing death to the gods is to receive blessing in return for their fruitful crops. à ¢â‚¬Å"One of the central challenges for any religion is to evolve and adjust ancient scriptures to modern life† (Kristof). Today’s society must take the old traditions, rituals and scriptures and alter them into the modern day. For example, the Bible states† a stubborn and rebellious son† shall be stoned to death (Deut 20:20-21). As most of the people today, we see these practices to be savage and unacceptable. The reason for our society to view this behavior today contributes to the shocking feedback Shirley received for the ending of her story. Jackson displays a good sense of irony in â€Å"The Lottery†. The use of irony is a recurrent theme in this story. No one would have expected Mrs. Hutchinson to be stoned to death. The style of Jacksons writing misleads the reader with the tone of the story starting off as a nice summer day which seems descent and friendly (Jackson 141). The people of the village do not panic or show much fear, nor do they delight in joyfulness. The town’s people seem to be in a state of neutral for the sake of being noticed too much. Mrs. Hutchinson declares to Mrs. Delacroix that she was cleaning before â€Å"The Lottery† and just forgot, when clearly she know it was time for â€Å"The Lottery† since the day of death would be hard to forget. Jackson also leads us to believe that the story is about winning something when it is actually about how they have lost the true meaning of â€Å"The lottery†. The young boys and girls simply huddle together by one another in stead of joining by their parents (Jackson 141). This might indicate that the children have a troubled sense of trust with the adults of the village. Mrs. Hutchinson mentions towards the narrowing of drawing in her family that her daughters should draw form the black box as well (Jackson 143). The title, the plot and climax of this story all contain bits of irony within them. After reviewing â€Å"The Lottery† and pointing out Jacksons illustrations of importance to Sacrifice, Tradition and Irony we have noted several conclusion. The meaning and understanding of ancient vegetation rituals that the community in her story believed was an element of their survival to ensure fertile crops. The difficulty with the town was that they had forgotten the true meaning of the ritual lottery that they performed every June. The town only knew that it was performed every year and had been for centuries. Shirley also allows the scrutiny of sacrificial stoning, open to many opinions of readers. â€Å"The Lottery† is entwined with much irony. Shirley shocks readers with her irony and unexpected vicious conclusion when they grab the biggest rocks and start throwing them at Mrs. Hutchinson. No one won anything. If they got the paper with the black spot they were doomed to death. The main theme in â€Å"The Lottery† was Jackson’s fine sense of iro ny, and how she misleads her readers to thinking the conclusion of her story was not what they expected. This is a bold and unique story that teaches many moral lessons many would not think to realize in â€Å"The Lottery†. Works Citied Burdick, Alan.†Empire of Blood.† Discover 2003:72. MAS Ultra-School Edition. Web.24 Feb.2010. Deuteronomy 20.20-21.†Bible: New International Version. N.p.1984.BibleGateway.com. Web.7 Feb.2010 Friedman, Lenemaja. Shirley Jackson. Boston: Twayne Publishers, 1975. Print Griffin, Amy A.†Jackson’s: The Lottery.† The Explicator 58.1(1999):44. Literature Resources from Gale.Web.8 Feb. 2010. Jackson, Shirley. â€Å"The Lottery.† Literature: An Introduction to Reading and Writing. Edgar V. Robert. New York: Pearson Education, Inc, 2009. 141-145. Print Hrebik, Dale. â€Å"Shirley Jackson.† Dictionary of Literary Biography 234(2001):n.pag. Literary Resources from Gale.Web.8 Feb. 2010. Knox, Rose.†Savagery in a Modern Setting: Jackson’s Shocking Revelation of a Highly Evolved Society.† North Florida Community College. Madison, Florida. 12, February 2010. Kristof D, Nicholas.Stoning And Scripture: How can religions adapt to modern times?. New York Times 30 Apr. 2002: n.pag.The New York Times Historical Edition.Web. 24 Feb. 2010. hvickers62107@yahoo.com username: hvickers62107 Research Papers on The Lottery by Shirley JacksonThe Masque of the Red Death Room meaningsCapital PunishmentBook Review on The Autobiography of Malcolm XMind TravelHip-Hop is ArtHarry Potter and the Deathly Hallows EssayGenetic EngineeringCanaanite Influence on the Early Israelite ReligionTrailblazing by Eric AndersonArguments for Physician-Assisted Suicide (PAS) The Lottery by Shirley Jackson The Lottery by Shirley Jackson The Lottery, by Shirley Jackson, is about a small-minded village that savors on tradition. The town holds a lottery once a year where all the families gather around in a big crowd in the Village Square. The lottery is conducted by Mr. Summers, a man who often leads the town's activities such as square dances, Halloween parties, charities, etc. In the crowd, wives gabber about the daily gossip. Fathers chat about tractors, crops, and taxes, while the kids playfully gather small smooth stones, piling them in a clearing behind the crowd. Mr. Summers calls their attention to get the lottery started, and the scattered family members hurry about and find each other. Mr. Summers brings out an old black box that has been used for the lottery even before Old Man Warner (the oldest man in town) was born. Back in the days when the village was a lot smaller, pieces of wood chips were used to put in the box. However, since the village ws growing, they discove! red to use paper slips instead. Mr. Summers mixed up the paper slips in the box with his hand while reciting some long ritual that had been used ever since the lottery was founded. During the recital, kids looked innocently about, the voice of people talking was kept at a low whisper, but the majority held their tongue with heavy nervous thoughts on their mind. Finally, Mr. Summers started calling out each family's name that lived in the village, having the head of each family put their hand in the box and tightly grab a slip of paper which was not to be opned until each family had received their slips. Once the papers were distributed, the families opened their slips. An uproar of questions about whom had "gotten it" came swiftly through the crowd. In a matter of minutes, it was found that the Hutchinson family picked the plain white slip with the coal-black dot drawn in the center. A burst of objection came from Terri Hutchin

An Easier Way To Tell Your Story Using Content Marketing

An Easier Way To Tell Your Story Using Content Marketing The term story is used all the time with content marketing. â€Å"Find your story,† they say. â€Å"Tell your unique story.† Well, sometimes your story can be so big, it can be hard to know where to start. Do you have a ton of ideas for blog posts but struggle to find the topics your audience would care about the most? Is it hard to understand the connection from one blog post to another? Creating content that connects one blog post with the next can seem like a complex process. But it doesnt have to be. An Easier Way To Tell Your Story Using Content Marketing #ContentMarketing #Storytelling How Story Flows Can Help You Create Connected and Relevant Content Defining your story about a specific topic- and breaking down that huge concept with story flows- will help you create better content. Story flows are just a small group of ideas you can use to create content. They are parts- or chapters- of your story that can help you manage your process much easier while making sure your content is connected. Story flows can make sure that all of your content marketing is connected. #ContentMarketingIf you have a ton of ideas- or even none at all- the process of defining your story and subsequent flows will help you: Find your topic. Connect that topic with your audience. Discover the unique story you’ll share. Find patterns to connect your blog posts. Manage your blog posts as projects. Reuse your blog posts as larger content formats (like e-books, webinars or whatever your audience wants). Essentially, the process of defining your story and story flows will help you plan your work to help you create blog posts faster and more strategically. Give this a try in the morning, and youll be creating better content by the afternoon. Heres how it works. Step 1: Find Your Topic Whether youre a product or service company, you probably have a million things you could talk about. For this process to work, its essential to narrow your topic to just one thing. That’s not to say that you could create content for multiple topics- just concentrate on one at a time while planning this stuff so your head doesnt explode. Topics are typically high-level niches your company is well-known for- or wants to become well-known for. Were not looking for broad, sweeping industry terms here- this cant cover everything your business does. Instead, focus on something truly unique to your company that makes you stand out from your competition. Thats your topic. Ask yourself: Whats the first topic you want to tackle? Step 2: Connect That Topic With Your Audience Knowing the topic you want to talk about is one thing. In order for your content marketing to be successful, you need to make sure your audience actually cares about that topic. At this point, you need to have an understanding of your customer base- your content marketings audience. For this practice to work, understand that everyone is not a good answer for who your audience is! Everyone is not a good answer to the question who is my audience?   #ContentMarketing #ProTipYou may have heard of reader personas before to help you think of your audience while you write blog posts. That may be exactly what you need to connect your topic with your audience. Ive seen marketers create content that only talks about their products or services (what theyve defined as their topic) without figuring out what their audience really wants from their business. Its a huge waste of effort to create content without understanding your audiences needs. You have things you want to talk about. There are people who want to hear about those things. But they may not want to hear the features of your product or service, but learn about a way to do something different- better, faster or easier- as related to your topic. As an example, provides an editorial calendar as a product and service, but a topic we  concentrate on is helping our  customers enhance their own content marketing. Ask yourself: Who cares about your topic enough to search for information to solve their need? Step 3: Discover the Unique Story You’ll Share Now its time to explore the details of your topic and the things your audience cares about. This is when you define your content core- your content marketing story. In this step, you need to find your topic expert (whether its you or someone else in your company) and gather some information from them. If you think of this like an interview, you need to ask about this stuff: What does your audience already know about your topic? How did they learn about it? Why does your audience care about your topic? How can you help them learn more about that topic? So when you start gathering that information, keep these three things in mind: Ask enough questions to make sure you fully understand the topic. Connect your knowledge with your audiences needs. Use what you learned to define a mission statement to help you stay focused. Put it to work: Find the information to understand your topic, audience and mission statement. Step 4: Find Patterns to Connect Your Blog Posts When you discover your story, you’ll find a ton of ideas you could create blog posts about. Dont let this overwhelm you- this is when your story flows will help you strategically plan your blog posts. Organize all those ideas from awareness level messages to the ones that help your audience make big decisions. One way to think about this is with a traditional marketing funnel. The funnel can help you visualize which ideas your prospects might be interested in- people just discovering your topic- versus people who are nearly ready to use your product or service. You should categorize your discovery ideas at the top of the funnel, whereas the big decision-making ideas are probably at the bottom of the funnel. Organize your ideas in an ideal chronological order. So think of it this way: If someone were to read every single blog post you write, which posts would come first, second, third and so on. Organizing your ideas in chronological order can help you choose ideas from beginning to end for your story flows. This way, when you write your blog posts, you’ll walk your audience through an entire journey from awareness to helping them make a decision. Once you have your ideas in order, look for patterns from the beginning of the list to the end. For example, you might see a pattern on how your audience could do something faster, which would be helpful for them to save time they could use on other projects. There will be ideas from the top of the funnel all the way to the bottom that could come together as a story flow for these ideas. It’s important for your story flows to have ideas from awareness to decision-making. As you laid out in your ideal chronological order, you want to funnel your audience to the end ideas to help them make a decision. You can’t do that if you don’t have a story flow with ideas ranging from the top of the funnel all the way to the bottom. Put it to work: Categorize your ideas in a chronological order (as if your audience were to read every blog post you write from start to finish). Step 5: Manage Your Blog Posts as Projects When you looked through the ideas that make up your story, you were probably able to come up with a number of story flows. This is helpful because you can manage your blog posts as projects- pick a small group of ideas to tackle at a time. For example, if you had 10 ideas that came together in a story flow, that has the potential to be 10 or more blog posts. Now you can manage those posts with your editorial calendar and assign them as projects with specific due dates. At this time, you may want to spread out a single story flow throughout the year- and work on several story flows at the same time. That gives you time to create minimum viable content and measure the success of a given story flow- piece by piece- while consistently creating strategic content. Though this approach involves working on several projects (story flows) at a time, its very manageable by planning your work for the upcoming weeks, month or year (depending on the size of your story flows) using an editorial calendar. In this example, its easy to spot blog posts planned for three story flows because they are highlighted with different colors. Your story flows give you the opportunity to plan your work and help you move faster while strategically connecting all of the content you create. Put it to work: Plan your ideas as blog posts on your editorial calendar. Step 6: Reuse Your Blog Posts in Larger Content Formats When youre done with your blog posts for a specific story flow, you now have so much connected content that you can create larger pieces from those posts. After you create enough blog posts to complete a story flow, you can reuse that content for larger formats like e-books, webinars and videos (among others). Imagine your blog posts coming together as chapters in an e-book. After you have an e-book, couldnt you use that same content for discussion points in a webinar? And after that webinar is over, couldnt you share that recorded webinar as a training video? And maybe you could even write a few more blog posts to share that video of the webinar. Being able to reuse your blog posts for larger forms of content is one of the biggest benefits of strategically planning your story flows. Ask yourself: How can you repurpose the blog posts you wrote for specific story flows into larger content formats your audience wants? What Will You Do Now? I meant it when I said a lot of this can be done in a single day. The beauty of the process is that it can be as extensive or relaxed as you need it to be. How could you plan and execute your content marketing using story flows?

Claude Monet's The Houses of Parliament in the Fog Essay

Claude Monet's The Houses of Parliament in the Fog - Essay Example His beautiful work of art has created a sense of desire and calmness is the minds of views all over the world. To know art is to know Claude Monet. It is very clear that Monet has a knack for painting. Born on November 14th 1840, Claude Monet was a founder of French impressionist painting, and he was also the most consistent and prolific practitioner of the movement’s philosophy of expressing ones perceptions before nature. He was the second son of Claude-Adolphe and Louise-Justine Aubre Monet both of them second-generation Parisians. On May 20th, 1841, he was baptized in the local parish church, Notre-Dame-de-Lorette as Oscar Claude. (Wikipedia). While growing up his father wanted him to go into the family grocery store business but Claude Monet wanted to become an artist. On April first of 1851, Monet entered the Le Havre secondary school of the Arts. His first and most locally known paintings were his charcoal caricatures which he would sell for ten to twenty francs. Monet also undertook his first drawing lessons from Jacques-Franà §ois Ochard, a former student of Jacques-Louis David (Wikipedia) After the outbreak of the Franco-Prussian War (July 19, 1870), Monet took refuge in England in September 1870. While there, he studied the words of John Constable and Joseph Mallord William Turner, both of whose landscapes would serve to inspire Monet’s innovations in the study of color. In the spring of 1871, Monet’s works were effused to be included in the Royal Academy exhibition (Wikipedia). After several difficult months following the death of Camille (Monet’s wife), a grief stricken Monet (resolving never to be mired in poverty again) began in earnest to create some of his best paintings of the 19th century. During the early 1880’s Monet painted several groups of landscapes and seascapes in what he considered to be campaigns to document the French countryside. His extensive

Cloning Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Cloning - Essay Example Natural cloning has been going on for billions of years. Natural cloning occurs when an organism reproduces asexually or when two genetically identical twins are produced by a splitting of a fertilized egg. For example, when one takes a stem from a yam plant and plant it in the ground, a new plant would grow as it takes root. The new plant can be considered a clone in the sense that it is identical to its parent. Similar cloning takes place in grass, potatoes and onions. This is a technique for propagating plants asexually. Humans have been using this vegetative technique in agriculture for thousands of years. The process has been helpful in environments where flowering and seedling establishment are infrequent. Another example of natural animal cloning is identical twins. Even though they are genetically different to their parents, they are naturally occurring clones of each other. Artificial cloning of animals is now normal in laboratories. The most famous example of animal cloning is Dolly the Sheep, born in the UK in 1997 using a technique called cell transferring. Â   It could be very useful and practical for us to be able to clone animals because they could provide extra food and could help find cures for diseases and further the research of medicines and vaccines. There are many reasons as to why cloning is important today, and in the years to come. First of all, food shortage is increasingly becoming a major global dilemma. This is due to the high demand on food as the global population increases dramatically (the population is thought to rise from 6.5 billion to 9 billion in the next 10 years) this indicates that food is going to be a very important aspect in preventing world hunger. Presently, almost 1 billion people eat less than three times every day and approximately 400,000 die daily due to starvation. There are other factors such as extinction of species that have to be taken into account as well, but

Koro Syndrome Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Koro Syndrome - Essay Example For example, there has been the existence of varied anxiety syndromes that involve fright of death, fear of getting castrated and concerns regarding sexual potency. The Nigerian Yoruba believed that the main cause of male impotence was â€Å"bewitchment†, in such cases a male witch would steal a mortal man’s penis to use it for having intercourse with the wife of the victim or any other woman and then return it back in an altered and manipulated form thus making him impotent for life (Koro-A culture-bound depersonalization syndrome, n.d.) What is Koro Syndrome? Koro is primarily an anxiety disorder characterized with sexual dysfunction hysteria and death. In psychological terminology, koro is basically â€Å"genital retraction syndrome† (GRS). In layman terms, it is the delusion that the genitals will be completely shrinked into the body. The male victims of Koro mainly suffer from the fear of the fact that their penises are retracting to their abdomen and as a r esult they will die when the process gets completed. In females, it is characterized by shrinking of nipples inside the breast mass. Koro mainly occurs to men and is occasionally seen in women. ( Koro- the Genital Retraction Syndrome, 2001) However, Koro is often considered a culture-specific disorder, which means only people of certain specific cultures and territories get affected by this disease, and it is not really one of those diseases generally recognized by Western medicines. It is seen mostly in Southern China, Malaysia, Singapore as well as certain parts of Africa, Afghanistan, India and even in some parts of the West. Every region has different names for the disease, like in China it is known as â€Å"suo-yang† (suo=shrinkage yang=penis), in Cantonese it is known as â€Å"suk-yeong†, in India â€Å"jhinjhini bimari† (=tangling disease) etc. (Garlipp, 2008). Koro, primarily seen in the South China region, mainly affects young normal Chinese males in th e age range of 21-40 years who have prior experiences of premorbid sexual inadequacies and maladjustments. Most commonly cited reasons of Koro Syndrome mainly include masturbation, illicit sexual encounters with prostitutes, witchcraft etc. Psychologists who laterally analyze different cultures are of the view that koro is closely integrated to panic attacks due to sexual apprehensions. Attacks are often experienced by men in situations which generally cause genitals to retract slightly, such as cold weather or emotional anguish (Koro-the Genital Retraction Syndrome, 2001). Most koro attacks occur usually at nights with common symptoms like senselessness, palpitation, pounding heart rate, fear of death, loss of penile shape and muscular tone, loss of sexual desire and power and genital tingling. It has been argued that these can be sufficient criteria for diagnosis of koro but not really necessary in any ways. The fear of depersonalization is so acute in certain cases that people of ten hold on to their penis all along during the course of the attack in fear that it might disappear inside their abdomen forever. They prefer to visually inspect their penis and touch them often to be sure of its existence and size (Koro-A culture-bound depersonalization syndrome, n.d.) Cultural Stigma One can get some insights into the causes of Koro from the Basic Chinese Culture. Koro means head of a turtle in Chinese. The Chinese, for long have been using the turtle symbol for long lasting lives and for

Caravaggio’s Religious Imagery Essay Example for Free

Caravaggio’s Religious Imagery Essay The topic to be examined involves the iconological study of selected religious works by Italian artist Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio. The term iconological refers to the study of visual imagery and its symbolism and interpretation, especially in social or political terms. The primary purpose of this research paper is to study the symbolism of Caravaggio’s paintings and their impact on society in a historical sense through present day. A secondary purpose is to determine the extent to which, if any, that his art has influenced politics and religion dating back to the late sixteenth century. There are three facets of the research problem: (1) the impact of the new Baroque style of painting that Caravaggio defined; (2) the influence that his religious works had on the church, politics, and society; and (3) the iconological study of Caravaggio. The study is significant for two reasons. First, since art and culture have major influence on society and history, it is important to recognize Caravaggio for his role in averting the threat of Protestantism by replacing the ruling Mannerism period of European painting with his radical naturalistic approach to chiaroscuro. The term chiaroscuro refers to a painting technique that involves an intricate use of shadow and light. Second, the study will address the implications for art and religion in society in relation to the issue of barriers and obstacles that have been faced and whether they have been truly overcome. Hypotheses Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio profoundly changed the art world, bringing about definitiveness to Baroque and eliminating Mannerism. Caravaggio’s authentic religious works that filled the Counter-Reformation Church helped to form specific religions based on imagery. The symbolism and interpretation of Caravaggio’s religious pieces was that they were radically natural, combining theatre and drama with close physical observations. In proving the above hypotheses to be true through utilization of the following methodology, the impact of Caravaggio on religion and society will be obvious. It is also necessary to take other scholars who have come before him into consideration in order to detail exactly what impact his works have made. Although he was somewhat ignored after a short period of fame in the seventeenth century, until the twentieth century, he is to be formally credited with the evolution of art from Mannerism to the new Baroque. There has been an overall positive impact on art and religion because of his development. Methodology The research will use a non-experimental design. The data collection method will be a combination of observation, interviews, and the use of preexisting records. After an initial period in Australia, becoming familiar with relevant secondary material on the subject I will go to Italy to analyze paintings first hand. The three religious works by Caravaggio that have been selected for personal observation in situ are as follows: n Deposition of Christ in the Sepulchre, 1602-1603, Oil on Canvas, 300 x 203cm, Pinacoteca Vaticana, Vatican City n The Calling of Saint Matthew, 1599-1600, Oil on Canvas, 322 x 340cm, Contareli Chapel, San Luigi dei Francesi, Rome n Crucifixion of Saint Peter, 1600, Oil on Canvas, 230 x 175cm, Cerasi Chapel, Santa Maria del Popolo, Rome Literature Review In researching the identified topic, many of the traditional sources, articles and books, on Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio and his works were that of negativity giving him little or no credit for the profound impact he has had on art history. The intention of this research paper is to disclose the truth through interpretation while counter-arguing past research on the subject that is seemingly incorrectly represented. Primary Sources Alpers, Svetlana. ‘Describe or Narrate? A Problem in Realistic Representation. ’ New Literary History, Vol 8:1, Readers and Spectators: Some Views and Reviews (Autumn 1976), pp. 15-41 This article, taken from the New Literary History journal, volume 8, discusses Caravaggio as a great artist but describes his art as offensive and vulgar rather than profound and evolutionary. In order to validly make my claim, it is necessary to show arguments against my stated hypotheses and counter them effectively, which is why this article will be of significant use to me in compiling my extracted information. Chorpenning, Joseph F. ‘Another Look at Caravaggio and Religion. ’ Artibus et Historiae, Vol 8:16 (1987), pp. 149-158 I believe this journal article can provide the basis for my project. It is very similar to the intentions of my research paper and will help to make my finished piece a worthwhile, significant, and original investigation for the truth. Friedlaender, Walter F. Caravaggio Studies. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1955 Walter Friedlaender, the author of Caravaggio Studies, is one of the first to write about the obscure Italian artist. Although sections of the biography appear to be speculative, there is a great deal of information that is unavailable elsewhere in this book.

History of DNA Sequencing and Research

History of DNA Sequencing and Research DNA sequencing technology has evolved very rapidly since its inception in the 1970s, and continues to evolve and grow today. This paper will review the major innovations and developments in sequencing technology and briefly summarize their methodologies. The first group that was able to sequence DNA was the team of Allan Maxam and Walter Gilbert (Maxam and Gilbert). This was a first generation sequencing reaction, and was developed in 1976-1977. This method uses purified DNA and relies on chemical modification of DNA bases (like depurination of adenine and guanine using formic acid and methylation using hydrazine or dimethyl sulfate). The 5 end is radioactively labeled so that it can be visualized in a gel, and then fragments of modified DNA are electrophoresed. Autoradiography can then be used to visualize the sizes of each DNA fragment. The maximum read length for this technique was approximately 100 bases long. The next major innovation in DNA sequencing was the Sanger dideoxy chain termination method. This was developed in 1977 by Frederick Sanger (Sanger, Nicklen, and Coulson), and became much more popular than Maxam and Gilberts method. Sanger sequencing is a synthesis reaction and uses dideoxy nucleotides to randomly terminate synthesized strands of DNA. The DNA strands that had been terminated with ddNTPs originally were run in 4 different lanes (one for each ddNTP) and were radiolabeled so that they could be visualized with autoradiography. Later innovations made Sanger sequencing even easier when each dideoxynucleotide was labeled with different fluorescent dyes. As such, sequences could be run on a single gel in a single lane. This method was the most popular way of sequencing DNA for many years, and was prevalent until about 2004. While read length was initially about 100 base pairs long, Sanger sequencing now has a read length of about 800 to 1000 base pairs long when run in capil lary gels. With the start of the human genome project, it was necessary to find ways to sequence DNA much more quickly and more cost-effectively than had been done previously. This led to the development of so-called à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“second generationà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  DNA sequencers. It also allowed for the use of smaller samples for sequencing. One of the first major automated platforms was the Roche 454 (Margulies et al.). This utilizes pyrosequencing, which is a synthesis type sequencing reaction. This also uses emulsion PCR on beads. When a dNTP is incorporated, it releases a pyrophosphate (PPi). ATP sulfurylase is present in the reaction mix, and when PPi is released, converts it to ATP, which can activate luciferase and the emission of light. The Roche 454 can measure the amount of light given off and relate it to the number of nucleotides that have been incorporated. One problem with this type of sequencing is that it can be difficult to accurately characterize sequences of the same nucleotide in a row as the intensity of the pyrophosphate peak given off does not have a linear relationship with the number of homopolymers present. The read length for 454 is approximately 250 base pairs long, and the error mode tends to have indels. The next major second gen sequencer is the Illumina Solexa platform (Bennett). The chemistry of this platform is that it utilizes reversible terminators and sequences by synthesis. A flow cell is covered with DNA oligonucleotides that are complementary to adaptor sequences that have been ligated to the ends of fragmented genome pieces. As the genome fragments are streamed across the surface of the flow cell, they will randomly bind and go through multiple cycles of denaturation and extension, which creates clusters of clones. After these clusters have been generated, they are loaded into a sequencer which measures fluorescent signals as single nucleotides are incorporated by taking a picture and noting the location of fluorescence. Read lengths are about 26-50 bases on average, and the types of errors that are typically present tend to be SNP errors. Another important second generation sequencer is the ABI-SOLiD (Sequencing by Oligonucleotide Ligation and Detection) sequencing platform (Valouev et al.). This is another sequencing by synthesis reaction, but unlike Illumina and 454, which use polymerases, this uses ligases. After using emulsion PCR on beads to create clonal clusters, primers base pair to a known adapter sequence that has been ligated to the genomic DNA. Differently labeled probes competitively base pair to the sequencing primer, and sequencing goes through several cycles in which different primers are used each time to bind to positions offset by a single nucleotide each time. DNA bases are added in groups of two in this method. Average read lengths for this technique are on average about 35 base pairs long. The next second generation sequencing technique is Ion Torrent, which is a sequencing by synthesis technique (http://www.iontorrent.com). When nucleotides are added to a growing DNA chain, pyrophosphate and a hydrogen ion are released. Ion Torrent takes advantage of this by measuring the pH of the reaction mix after flooding a DNA strand with the four bases (one at a time) to determine sequences. One major advantage of this technique is that it doesnt require a high-cost camera set-up to measure incorporation events. However, because it indirectly measures nucleotide addition through changes in pH, it has difficulty with accuracy in calling sequences of homopolymers, resulting in indel errors (like pyrosequencing). Average read lengths using this technique are about 200 base pairs long. A more recent innovation is the Helicos-True Single Molecule Sequencing (tSMS) technique (Thompson and Steinmann). It is somewhat similar to Illumina sequencing in that it also uses fragmented DNA, adaptors, and fluorescently labeled dNTPs, but there is no amplification step. This helps eliminate issues with GC bias, which tend to affect amplification steps and can cause errors in base calling. Average read length is greater than 25 base pairs. Pacific Biosciences SMRT technology (Single Molecule Real Time sequencing) immobilizes a DNA polymerase at the bottom of a well and is a sequencing by synthesis technique (Eid et al.). Fluorescently labeled phosphate groups in dNTPs are added to the reaction mix and as the base is added to the growing DNA strand, the machine can measure the light that is given off (each base is labeled with a different fluorescent molecule). The major advantage of this technique is that it can sequence very long reads (more than 1000 bp!) which is very important in de novo sequence assembly. In addition, PacBio can also measure methylation of DNA sequences based on the kinetics of addition of base pairs (using the observation that modified base pairs tend to take longer to incorporate into a DNA strand). Furthermore, this technique can also potentially use a single molecule of DNA, which reduces any GC bias that occurs due to amplification. The final technique that will be discussed here is nanopore sequencing (Stoddart et al.). The idea behind this is that DNA may be threaded through a nanopore one base at a time. As its fed through, the sequencer can measure the change in current as it passes through (which will vary based on what base is moving through the pore). Thus, the sequence can be determined straight from the DNA without the need for modifications or reagents. In addition, because this can be done on a single molecule, there is again no need for amplification and thus no possibility of any GC bias in base calls.