Stefan’s Diaries: Origins Chapter 29

When I next opened my eyes, I knew I was dead. But this death wasn't the death of my nightmares, with black nothingness all around. Instead, I could smell the faraway scent of a fire, feel rough earth beneath my body, could feel my hands resting by my sides. I didn't feel pain. I didn't feel anything. The blackness enveloped me in a way that was almost comforting. Was this what hell was? If so, it was nothing like the horror and mayhem of last night. It was quiet, peaceful. I tentatively moved my arm, surprised when my hand touched straw. I pushed myself up to a sitting position, surprised that I still had a body, surprised that nothing hurt. I looked around and realized that I wasn't suspended in nothingness. To my left were the rough-hewn slats of a wall of a dark shack. If I squinted, I could see sky between the cracks. I was somewhere, but where? My hand fluttered to my chest. I remembered the shot ringing out, the sound of my body thudding to the ground, the way I was prodded with boots and sticks. The way my heart had stopped beating and there had been a cheer that rose up before everything was quiet. I was dead. So then †¦ â€Å"Hello?† I called hoarsely. â€Å"Stefan,† a woman's voice said. I felt a hand behind my back. I realized I was wearing a simple, faded, blue cotton shirt and tan linen pants, clothes I didn't recognize as my own. And though they were old, they were clean. I struggled to stand, but the small, yet surprisingly strong, hand held me down by my shoulder. â€Å"Y ou've had a long night.† I blinked, and as my eyes adjusted to the light, I realized that the voice belonged to Emily. â€Å"Y ou're alive,† I said in wonderment. She laughed, a low, lazy chuckle. â€Å"I should be saying that to you. How are you feeling?† she asked, bringing a tin cup of water to my lips. I drank, allowing the cool liquid to trickle down my throat. I'd never tasted anything so pure, so good. I touched my neck where Katherine had bit me. It felt clean and smooth. I hastily yanked the shirt open, popping several buttons in the process. My chest was smooth, no hint of a bullet wound. â€Å"Keep drinking,† Emily clucked in a way a mother might do to her child. â€Å"Damon?† I asked roughly. â€Å"He's out there.† Emily pointed her chin to the door. I followed her gaze outside, where I saw a shadowy figure sitting by the water's edge. â€Å"He's recovering, just as you are.† â€Å"But how †¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Notice your ring.† Emily tapped my hand. On my ring finger was a gleaming lapis-lazuli stone, inset in silver. â€Å"It's a remedy and a protection. inset in silver. â€Å"It's a remedy and a protection. Katherine had me make it for you the night she marked you.† â€Å"Marked me,† I repeated dumbly, once again touching my neck, then allowing my fingers to drop to the smooth stone of the ring. â€Å"Marked you to be like her. Y ou're almost a vampire, Stefan. Y ou're well into the transformation,† Emily said, as if she were a doctor diagnosing a patient with a terminal illness. I nodded as if I understood what Emily was saying, even though it might as well have been a completely different language. Transformation? â€Å"Who found me?† I asked, starting with the question I cared least about. â€Å"I did. After the shots were fired on you and your brother, everyone ran. The house burned down. People died. Not just vampires.† Emily shook her head, her face deeply troubled. â€Å"They brought all the vampires to the church and burned them there. Including her,† Emily said, her tone impossible to comprehend. â€Å"Did she make me a vampire, then?† I asked, touching my neck. â€Å"Y But in order to complete the transition, es. you must feed. It's a choice you have to make. Katherine had the power of destruction and death, but even she had to allow her victims that choice.† â€Å"She killed Rosalyn.† I knew it in the same way I'd known Damon loved Katherine. It was as if a cloud had lifted, only to reveal more blackness. â€Å"She did,† Emily said, her face inscrutable. â€Å"But that has nothing to do with what happens. If you choose, you can feed and complete the transition, or let yourself †¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Die?† Emily nodded. I didn't want to feed. I didn't want Katherine's blood inside me. All I wanted was to go back several months, before I'd ever heard the name Katherine Pierce. My heart twisted in agony for all I'd lost. But there was someone who'd lost more. As if she'd read my mind, Emily helped me to my feet. She was tiny, but strong. I stood up and shakily walked outside. â€Å"Brother!† I called. Damon turned, his eyes shining. The water reflected the rising sun, and smoke billowed through the trees in the distance. But the clearing was eerily quiet and peaceful, harkening back to an earlier, simpler time. Damon didn't answer. And before I even realized what I was doing, I walked to the edge of the water. Without bothering to take off my clothes, I dove in. I came up for air and breathed out, but my mind still felt dark and dirty. Damon stared down at me from the water's edge. â€Å"The church burned. Katherine was inside,† he said tonelessly. â€Å"Y I didn't feel satisfaction or sadness. I just es.† felt deep, deep sorrow. For myself, for Damon, for felt deep, deep sorrow. For myself, for Damon, for Rosalyn, for everyone who'd gotten caught in this web of destruction. Father had been right. There were demons who walked the earth, and if you didn't fight them, then you became one. â€Å"Do you know what we are?† Damon asked bitterly. We locked eyes, and instantly I realized that I didn't want to live like Katherine. I didn't want to see the sunlight only with the aid of the ring on my finger. I didn't want to always gaze at a human's neck as if contemplating my next feeding. I didn't want to live forever. I ducked down under the surface of the water and opened my eyes. The pond was dark and cool, just like the shack. If this was what death was, it wasn't bad. It was peaceful. Quiet. There was no passion, but also no danger. I surfaced and pushed my hair off my face, my borrowed clothes hanging off my soaked limbs. Even though I knew what my fate was, I felt remarkably alive. â€Å"Then I'll die.† Damon nodded, his eyes dull and listless. â€Å"There's no life without Katherine.† I climbed out of the water and hugged my brother. His body felt warm, real. Damon briefly returned my embrace, then hugged his knees again, his gaze fixed on a spot far away from the water's edge. â€Å"I want it done,† Damon said, standing up and walking farther away toward the quarry. I watched his retreating back, remembering the time when I was eight or nine that my father and I had gone buck hunting. It was right after my mother had died, and while Damon had immersed himself in schoolboy antics like gambling and riding horses, I'd clung to my father. One day, to cheer me up, Father took me to the woods with our rifles. We'd spent over an hour tracking a buck. Father and I headed deeper and deeper into the forest, watching the animal's every move. Finally, we were in a spot where we saw the buck bowing down, eating from a berry bush. â€Å"Shoot,† Father murmured, guiding my rifle over my shoulder. I trembled as I kept my eye on the deer and reached for the trigger. But at the moment I released the trigger, a baby deer scampered into the field. The buck sprinted away, and the bullet hit the fawn in the belly. Its wobbly legs crumpled beneath it, and it fell to the ground. I'd run to try to help it, but Father had stopped me, holding on to my shoulder. â€Å"Animals know when it's time to die. Let's at least allow it the peace to do it alone,† Father said, forcibly marching me away. I'd wailed, but he was relentless. Now, watching Damon, I understood. Damon was the same way. â€Å"Good-bye, brother,† I whispered.

How Does Jones Show What the Effects of What Are on the Children of Bougainville in the Novel as a Whole

How does Jones show what the effects of what are on the children of Bougainville in the novel as a whole The children of Bougainville are severely affected by the war; most of these ways are negative. There are two main different types of affection, the first is physical e. g. deaths and possessions being burnt, the next psychological e. g. all hope being destroyed and the ignorance of some of the children. The first effect is all the deaths. The Red skins prevented all the medicines getting to lots of the babies so they died of malaria. came down with malaria† â€Å"There was nothing to be done† This shows that the children are being affected by the deaths of the babies because it kills the younger children, but it also has an effect on the older children because they have to go through the trauma of seeing these babies dead and also witnessing the parents break down due to these deaths. The Redskins also traumatise these children just by arriving â€Å"we were left wi th our fear† This shows the lasting effect the Red skins have on the children.This also portrays their innocence because it shows that these things really have a damaging effect on them when it may not do on older people. This innocence is also portrayed through â€Å"conflict a few of us kids really understood† This shows that the children are getting caught up in something they are completely innocent to. This war confuses the children which also can cause the loss of lives due to the naivety.This is shown with the character of Daniel while he was told to go up into the jungle â€Å"He went without complaint, swinging his arms at his side† First this shows that he did not quite understand what was going on, that these people were bad people to deal with. The fact that he went â€Å"without complaint† indicates that for â€Å"beaten his classmates to the answer† he thought he may be getting rewarded not quite punished in the way he did. The innocen ce of the character is also shown through the fact that he was unaware. The â€Å"swinging his arms at his side† insinuates the vulnerability if Daniel.It shows that he has not been told fully about this war and his simply mind is protected from such impurities. This innocence and vulnerability which are generally normal traits for children result in him losing his life. This also leaves the other children without a friend or family member, so this war also has an indirect effect on them causing them to lose people who are close to them Daniel is a key character in reflecting this. The effects of War on children in Bougainville are catastrophic, these children are hidden from it so when they are confronted by this conflict they do not know what to do and are generally damaged from it. s

Spectroscopic Determination of Iron with Phenanthroline

Experiment A Spectroscopic determination of Iron with Phenanthroline Unknown # 2 Mass of Mohr’s Salt: 0. 2040 1. 5mL of 6M acetic acid was measured and transferred into a 100mL volumetric flask with a pipette and diluted to the mark. Concentration= [0. 2040(Â ±0. 0001)g/100(Â ±0. 08)mL]*[(1mol/392. 16g)/(1L/1000mL)] = 0. 005202(Â ±0. 09382%) = 0. 005202(Â ±0. 000005)mol/L 2. 10mL of the above stock solution was transferred to a 250 mL volumetric flask and diluted to the mark. Concentration= [0. 005202(Â ±0. 9382%)mol/L]*[10(Â ±0. 02)mL/250(Â ±0. 12mL)] = 0. 00020808(Â ±0. 22607%) = 0. 00020808(Â ±0. 0000005)mol/L 3. Standard error of burette is 0. 02mL in every reading. Solution| Desired Volume| Absorption 1| Absorption 2| Average Absorption| Standard 1| 30| 0. 662| 0. 664| 0. 662| Standard 2| 25| 0. 544| 0. 546| 0. 545| Standard 3| 20| 0. 43| 0. 434| 0. 432| Standard 4| 15| 0. 317| 0. 309| 0. 313| Standard 5| 10| 0. 222| 0. 217| 0. 2195| Standard 6| 5| 0. 113| 0. 112 | 0. 1125| Unknown 1| | | | 0. 096| Unknown 2| | | | | 4.Sample standard concentration calculation with standard 1, Concentration= [30(Â ±0. 02)mL/100(Â ±0. 08)mL]*[0. 00020808(Â ±0. 0000005)mol/L] = 0. 000062424(Â ±0. 2807%) = 0. 000062424(Â ±0. 0000002) 5. From the Calibration curve of Absorbance Vs Concentration, we know the equation of the graph is : y = 10553. 63(Â ±190. 5558)x – 0. 00363(Â ±0. 007721) Where, y is the absorbance and x is the concentration. We know the absorbance of the unknown is 0. 096. Therefore, 0. 096 = 10553. 63(Â ±190. 5558)x – 0. 00363(Â ±0. 007721) x= [0. 096+0. 00363(Â ±0. 07721)]/ [10553. 63(Â ±190. 5558)] = 0. 00000944(Â ±7. 957%) = 0. 0000094(Â ±0. 0000008) 6. Standard Concentrations| Uncertainties| Average Absorbencies| 0. 000062424| 0. 0000002| 0. 662| 0. 00005202| 0. 00000013| 0. 545| 0. 000041616| 0. 000000108| 0. 432| 0. 000031212| 0. 00000007| 0. 313| 0. 000020808| 0. 00000006| 0. 2195| 0. 000010404| 0. 00000005| 0. 1125| SUMMARY OUTPUT| Column1| Regression Statistics| Multiple R| 0. 999348603| R Square| 0. 99869763| Adjusted R Square| 0. 998372037| Standard Error| 0. 008293572| Observations| 6|ANOVA| Column1| Column2| Column3| Column4| Column5| | df| SS| MS| F| Significance F| Regression| 1| 0. 2109807| 0. 2109807| 3067. 32299| 6. 3634E-07| Residual| 4| 0. 000275133| 6. 8783E-05| | | Total| 5| 0. 211255833| | | | Column1| Coefficients| Standard Error| t Stat| P-value| Lower 95%| Upper 95%| Lower 95. 0%| Upper 95. 0%| Intercept| -0. 003633333| 0. 007720895| -0. 4705845| 0. 66245106| -0. 025069975| 0. 017803308| -0. 025069975| 0. 017803308| X Variable 1| 10553. 63322| 190. 5558304| 55. 3834181| 6. 3634E-07| 10024. 56542| 11082. 0102| 10024. 56542| 11082. 70102| 7. Isobestic point is a specific wavelength at which two chemical species have the same molar absorptivity. A pair of substances can have several isobestic points in their spectra. In a 1-to-1 chemical reaction that involves a pair of sub stances with an isobestic point, as long as the sum of the concentrations of the two molecular entities in the solution is held constant there will be no change in absorbance at this wavelength as the ratio of the concentrations of the two entities are varied.This is because the two substances absorb light of that specific wavelength to the same extent. We do not observe any isobestic point in this experiment because we did not scan through the entire spectrum but rather chose a wavelength at which the species have different molar absorptivity. Besides, if we were working with an isobestic point, we would not be able to obtain changes in absorption with changing ratios of concentrations. 8. Transmittance is the ratio of the radiation falling upon a material, to the radiation transmitted through a material.Absorbance is negative logarithm of transmittance. Molar absorptivity is a measurement of how strongly a chemical species absorbs light at a given wavelength. From Beer’s la w we know that, A=? bc. Therefore the absorbance is proportional to the concentration. 9. A solution of Fe34- would show a violet-blue color at an absorbance maximum of 562. And if the absorbance maximum were 414, a green-yellow color would be observed. The spectra for absorbance maximum 562 are sketched in the following: The spectra for absorbance maximum 414 are sketched in the following: 10.There could be instrument related sources of error. Stray light could be a problem since the detector responds to all the light that reaches it. In liquids, the extinction coefficient usually changes slowly with wavelength, which could add to the possible errors. There could be errors from the measurement uncertainty of the results. There could also be errors while preparations of the standards, due to presence of impurities in the apparatus which may lead to discrepancy in the calculation of the concentration. 11. Van De Water, Leon G. A; Jaap A. Bergwerff, T.Alexander Nijhuis. UV-Vis Microsp ectroscopy: Probing the Initial Stages of Supported Metal Oxide Catalyst Preparation. J. Am. Chem Soc. 2005, 127(14), pp 5-24-2025. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO host. University of Minnesota Lib. Twin Cities. Minneapolis. MN. 05/02/12. In this article UV-Vis microscopy is used to monitor macro distribution and speciation of the catalyst precursor species. Through this experiment more detailed information on the structure-function correlation of the catalytic material is obtained. Koeppet, Benjamin; Tolstoy, Peter M; Limbach, Hans-Heinrich.Reaction Pathways of Proton Transfer in Hydrogen-Bonded Phenol Carboxylate Complexes Explored by Combined UV-Vis and NMR spectroscopy. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2011, 113(20), pp7897-7908. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO host. University of Minnesota Lib. Twin Cities. Minneapolis. MN. 05/02/12. In this article better insight about the tautomeric states of the H bonded anions, and the solvent configurations were obtained from UV-vis time scale. The UV-vis absorptions were broadened inhomogeneously because of distribution of the H-bond geometries from the different solvents.

Silent Night

The night was silent. The half moon gazed down benevolently on the city, alone in a starless stretch of black sky. The streets were empty, and all that reached out into the shadowy darkness were the street lamps, placed so methodically and evenly it made them seem more significant than they really were. Near one of these lamps, on a bench, was an ancient man, his hair grey, his face was warped with deep wrinkles, a pair of round rimmed spectacles perched on his nose. His dull eyes, seeming to be staring into nothingness, peered sadly through the lenses.He slowly unlatched the case on his lap and reverently lifted the saxophone from its place, and is it opened, the weak yet mystifying golden glow emerged from it, only visible from the slight glimmer of the street lamps. The man pressed the mouth piece to his lips, and in a moment, music filled the night. The smooth, deep resonating tones of the saxophone echoed through the stillness. Its strong voice sang a melancholic requiem. The in strument was singing of times long past, of memories half forgotten, love once had, life at its peak and decline.The sounds resonated through the empty streets, reaching out in vain. The man stood as the song reached the climax, and as he did, the emotions that were resonating so beautifully seemed only to be amplified, this was pure expression from the soul; unprepared, and unrestrained. The man closed his eyes and arched backwards as the saxophone bellowed its elegy. Untainted emotions, pure and true, resounded from the notes, a defiant dirge amidst the sadness and grief of loss and solitude. Then the night was silent again.His performance was applauded by the silence and the dark, and it was deafening. The elderly man breathed heavily, perspiration dampening his dull grey hair. He fell back on the bench and before long, began absently polishing the saxophone. His audience, the darkness, seemed to evaporate into the night, and he was left more alone than before. He heaved a sigh a nd reached for the case. Suddenly, sound had blessed the night. The rich sound of a saxophone reverberated from the darkness. The man started and rose from the bench, the rich melody wafting towards him like an old friend.He twisted and swivelled, his eyes brightened as he searched for the player. By a street lamp, was a silhouette of a person with a saxophone, the musician sitting by the lamp, not close enough to be illuminated and not far enough to be hidden, but there was no reason for the mysterious figure to be identified. The man immediately recognised the musician’s skill, but there was a sense of incompletion in the tune, and although the tune itself sounded familiar, but he couldn’t recognise it. Read also  Summary : Love Is Never SilentIt was when the piece reached the first chorus that he finally did, and understood. He smiled warmly, his eyes glittered, and he raised his mouthpiece to his lips again. He accepted the invitation, and the music was complete. It was a song of fulfilment, contentment, of joy and harmony, the instruments’ eulogy of shared emotion and elation. The man revelled in the performance, and he knew silence would not meet him at the end of this one. The rich voices of the saxophones intertwined and coalesced. It was a glorious anthem that purged the night of silence.

How are gender relationships depicted in Chaucers “Wife of Bath”?

The Wife of Bath’s Prologue and Tale is one of the twenty-four stories which make up The Canterbury Tales written by Geoffrey Chaucer towards the end of the 14th century. The premise for The Tales is that of a group of pilgrims each telling stories in order to win the prize of a free meal, the primary narrator is a naà ¯ve pilgrim who is not described. The Canterbury Tales is written in Middle English, which bears a close visual resemblance to the English written and spoken today. The Tales were unfinished as Chaucer died before their completion and the order of the stories has been disputed due to the fragmented nature of his work. This essay will be looking at gender relationships in The Wife of Bath’s Prologue and Tale and in medieval Literature as a whole. Chaucer’s Wife of Bath is a middle-aged woman from the west country, who strides into The Canterbury Tales on a large horse with her spurs jangling and riding in the fashion of a man rather than the side saddle that was typical of women, ready to assert herself in the company of pilgrims made almost entirely of men. Rich and elaborate in design, the Wife’s clothes reek of extravagance, her stockings â€Å"weren of fyn scarlet reede† and â€Å"on hir feet a paire of spores sharpe† show how wealthy she has become from her conquests of men. In the General Prologue where each of the characters is described in terms of their profession she is clearly a ‘professional wife’ who has travelled more than almost all of the other pilgrims making her a bold, adventurous and sociable character. Men were the ones who travelled to distant lands in search of adventure, this challenges the accepted ideas about gender of the time. This portrait of a woman is very peculiar for a piece of medieval literature, men tend to have the starring role and women are usually featured as beautiful ladies in distress or as villainous old hags. The Wife of Bath is neither a helpless damsel in distress nor a typical old crone. She is the first of her kind in English literature. The Wife of Bath’s Prologue is the life story of Alison who has married five times, this in itself is unusual for a woman in medieval literature as it is usually the rogue male who has multiple lovers. Chaucer certainly informs us of Alison’s backstory to a higher degree than he does the other pilgrims. There are many pieces of literature which condemn women, from the highest class to the lowest, Chaucer does not ignore this with his characterisation of the Wife but rather embraces it to make her who she is. The Wife is noisy and bossy, she torments her husbands and has a large enough sexual appetite to compete with the most sexual of men. But Chaucer has also made her capable of love, vulnerable, optimistic and argumentative against medieval anti-woman ideas. It is not clear whether Chaucer wants us to sympathise with the Wife and see her as the first feminist and defender of women’s rights or if we are to view her as an elaborate joke of what would happen if a women were to ever have as much freedom as a man. The Wife of Bath’s Prologue is different from any literature which had been encountered, as is her Tale. The male lead is not a typical heroic knight but a rapist, the main female role is an ugly old woman and the force of good in the story is a court full of powerful women. All the standard ideas of gender relationships are both turned on their heads and brought into sharp focus. The Wife conforms to a number of anti-female stereotypes of the medieval period, stereotypes which were created by men for the purpose of a patriarchal society. She claims that she has a great sexual appetite whilst also boasting that she uses sex to gain wealth. The Wife also tells of how she controls her husbands through the use of her body, a fear which is common of villainous females in medieval literature and which males dread. The Wife points out that there are many husbands and wives in the Bible. Some of the greatest men in the Old Testament were not only married but had multiple wives. â€Å"Lo, heere the wise kyng, daun Salomon; I trowe he hadde wyves mo than oon. As wolde God it leveful were unto me To be refresshed half so ofte as he!† (35-38) This is a double standard in that these men have multiple lovers but that women apparently can’t. By calling King Solomon â€Å"wise† she is conveying that wise men have multiple marriages. The Wife successfully gives examples from the Bible of people whose marriages were blessed by God despite the polygamous nature of these marriages. The Pardoner who is shocked by the Wife’s revelations so far interrupts her story, he says that he was about to marry but is now not so sure that it is a good idea. â€Å"Now, dame,† quod he, â€Å"by God and by Seint John!†¦ I was aboute to wedde a wyf; allas!†¦ What sholde I bye it on my flessh so deere? Yet hadde I levere wedde no wyf to-yeere!† (164-168) The Wife then tells a short story about a medieval pardoner who worked for the Church collecting donations from those sorry for their sins and anxious to find forgiveness. His manhood is called into question throughout the canterbury tales and his talk of taking a wife is probably an empty boast. This is a continuation of Wife of Bath’s theme of male impotence, she regularly taunts her celibate male adversaries in this way throughout the prologue. It was unheard of for a woman to speak this way about such matters, even a man would think before directly insulting men of the Church. The first three husbands the Wife had were rich old men who were financially secure. The Wife treated each of these husbands badly and in a very dominating way. By being argumentative and eager to start trouble she ensured that they would be careful to please her. â€Å"What sholde I taken keep hem for to plese, But it were for my profit and myn ese?† (213-14) Here the Wife of Bath uses a rhetorical question, it is clear from the tone that she doesn’t think she needs to care about her husbands. The misogynists classed all women together as bad and all wives as nothing but trouble. Chaucer both confirms this stereotype here with the way the Wife treated her first three husbands but also turns it around so that the woman is in control for once and the men are indistinguishable without even a single name between them. Chaucer makes us pity the husbands but it also shows us how unfairly women are usually treated. Chaucer outlines the Wife’s general techniques on how she handles Marital trouble which are lying, cheating and accusing the opposite gender before they accuse you. Lying and cheating were the things that medieval literature always accused the villainous women in a story of doing. The Wife is therefore acting in a very stereotypically manipulative way, and comes very close to becoming the old villainous hag which was a staple of medieval literature. Chaucer makes it clear that the Wife is a complex character and that our response to her as readers should be one of uncertainty. He makes sure we see the good aswell as the bad. The Wife of Bath goes on to describe the lies she would use to keep her first three husbands in line. She’d accuse them of lecherous behaviour and of chasing after the neighbours or servants and then unfairly accusing her about her relationship with her ‘friend’. She uses powerful but offensive imagery towards woman in order to get her point across. â€Å"For as a spanyel she wol on hym lepe,†¦ But folk of wyves maken noon assay, Til they be wedded — olde dotard shrewe! And thanne, seistow, we wol oure vices shewe.† (267-292) The Wife of Bath uses simile’s to compare women first of all to animals, which should be tried by men before they are bought. They are then reduced even further being compared to ordinary objects such as basins, washbowls, spoons and stools. The men did not say these things and this paints the Wife of Bath in a very negative light for her deceit but at the same time other men during her period are guilty of thinking such things. The Wife boasts about how she lied to her husbands about what they said whilst drunk in order to make them feel guilty. This extract is some of the Wife’s most blatant deceit and if all women were to be like this in medieval times it would be surprising if men and women ever managed to live together at all. â€Å"Thou liknest eek wommenes love to helle, To bareyne lond, ther water may nat dwelle. Thou liknest it also to wilde fyr;† (371-372) The Wife doesn’t see the wickedness of her ways as is obvious when she states â€Å"Yet tikled I his herte, for that he Wende that I hadde of hym so greet chiertee!† The choice of verb is an interesting one because it is much lighter than the passage as a whole. The Wife claims that either her or her husband must give in if they are to live in peace, and she says â€Å"And sith a man is moore resonable† he should be the one to give in more easily. She then slyly puts in a comment about how she is his alone, implying that this could easily change at any moment. She is exploiting male and female stereotypes here, using a man’s image of themselves as reasonable and superior against them. She is manipulating by saying that if women are so stupid and emotional, clever men should just let them have their way in order for there to be peace. The Wife of Bath’s youth may have now passed her by but she has no regrets. Her fourth husband however was not a very happy memory for her. She even goes on to tell us about his unfaithfulness â€Å"This is to seyn, he hadde a paramour†. Her dominance and power over her first three husbands now gives way to the more melancholy story of her next husband. Old women in medieval literature quite often show bitterness and loathing when they remember their youth but the Wife has no regrets. Her optimism and her grace in the way that she accepts the passing of her youth shows a softer and more vulnerable side to this manipulative and domineering woman. With the death of her fourth husband The Wife then falls in love with a man named Jankyn who was half her age. Within a month she had married him and as an act of love she signed over all her property to him. However, Jankyn was typical of a medieval gender role. He was a dominant man who won’t be told what to do by a woman. He demands her to stop going on pilgrimages, stop gossiping and to generally stop all the mischievous behaviour from her past. He beats her for tearing pages out of a book and tells her of husbands who left their wives because the wives would not do as they were told. â€Å"And me of olde Romayn geestes teche; How he Symplicius Gallus lefte his wyf, And hire forsook for terme of al his lyf† (642-644) The Wife now has to be on the receiving end of the abuse that she has up until then caused, she is the one being dominated and controlled. She has previously been at a distance from the anti-women literature of the period, even used it to her advantage against her past husbands. Now she must endure the stereotypically male dominated household she has avoided for so long. The reason the Wife of Bath is deaf is because she was struck by Jankyn for tearing out a few pages from his favourite book. It consisted of stories by the best known authors of the middle ages which condemned women. â€Å"For trusteth wel, it is an impossible That any clerk wol speke good of wyves,† (688-689) She hated this book as Jankyn used it to cause her a great deal of grief, she stated that these men don’t understand women yet they are the ones writing these stories. What’s quite interesting is that all the literature she used to control her past husbands was now coming at her in a very real sense. The Wife of Bath asks the question â€Å"Who peyntede the leon, tel me who?† which points out that medieval women existed in a world where everything including art, religion, work, family life and literature was controlled by men. Chaucer pointing this out is well ahead of his time in terms of social gender commentary. The Wife’s ripping of the book could be seen as a symbolic gesture. The Wife used this literature against her past husbands, she had it used against her by her fifth husband. The tearing of the book is symbolic of the Wife moving away from medieval stereotypes. After finally finishing the prologue to her story the Wife of Bath moves onto her Tale. The story opens with the rape of a young maiden, the rape is described very casually as though it is somehow entirely natural that a woman is violently attacked this way. â€Å"He saugh a mayde walkynge hym biforn, Of which mayde anon, maugree hir heed, By verray force, he rafte hire maydenhed;† (886-888) The word ‘raft’ means he took her ‘maydenhead’ which is not a very violent verb but it still has powerful imagery because of how casual a word it is. This can be seen as an extreme example of the way in which women are regarded as mere property. The knight’s offence was against a woman so it is therefore ironic that women should step in to save his life. They don’t do this out of compassion or mercy though, he is to be placed in a powerless position in which the fate of his body is in the hands of another, similar to when a woman is raped. After a year of searching for the answer to the question of what women want the knight rides back to the court in despair, this is when he encounters an extremely ugly old woman who agrees to give him the answer to his question if he agrees to do something for her. After answering with â€Å"†Wommen desiren to have sovereynetee† the old hag asks the knight to marry her. Because our knight did not know what the condition would be he is placed in a far more vulnerable position. He is completely under the old woman’s dominance, a reversal of the normal male female relationship. The â€Å"lusty bacheler† from the start of the story now â€Å"hidde hym as an owle†, no longer dominant and in control or a stereotype of medieval man. The old woman then gives the knight an ultimatum, she can either be beautiful and unfaithful or faithful and ugly. The knight considers for a moment but decides in the end to let her make the decision which results in her being both beautiful and faithful. With the mastery handed over to the old lady, there is a switching of gender roles with the knight also getting what he wants. The knight is no longer the misogynist monster he was at the start of The Wife of Bath’s Tale. It could be argued that the Wife of Bath is giving a voice to the excluded women of medieval society. Through her voice we hear and see all the devaluation and oppression which is always silent in medieval literature due to the authors being almost entirely male. The Wife could also be interpreted as a representation of stereotypical medieval fear by men about women as cruel, emotional and sexually deviant. It is not clear in what way Chaucer meant for her to be conveyed, it is clear however that he wanted her to become a complicated character with many different layers whose gender was a driving force for the story.

The airline industry in the US Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The airline industry in the US - Essay Example The best examples are frequent flier program and customers brand loyalty. When customers cumulate their miles in the same airlines they can redeem their points to get some rewards. The industry has low-cost competitors and legacy carriers. Low-cost competitors like jet-blue, focus on the low-cost routes and point-to-point service. They have the diversity of routes in short distance which can increase their demand and increase their revenue. For legacy carriers, like Delta, they offer some international routes which cover large geographic areas and they also offer the better experience for customers. There are some ways to become more competitive. The companies in the airline industry need to provide the better quality of service. E-tickets are a good example since customers can check in online; it may be more convenient for them to take the aeroplane. Also, existing companies in the airline industry should lower their cost to gain more profits. The cost includes rent fee for the airp ort and the labour fee. Location is also a good way for them to become more competitive by offering flights for popular routes. Companies in airline industry should also attract customers from substitutes because customers are very price sensitive, thus the option for them to differentiate products is very limited. For example, if in short distance, customers would like to take cars and trains for travelling. Also for business customers that always go to other cities to meet with their clients or have the conference.

Mobile phone addiction Literature review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Mobile phone addiction - Literature review Example The use of mobile phones have also become a constant feature for many people, most especially teenagers who always find the need to stay in touch with each other. As a result, mobile phone addiction has become a significant issue among users. Studies on this problem have been carried out, seeking to establish its causes, manifestations, and remedies. This literature review shall review four peer-reviewed articles on mobile phone addiction. A literature search would first be carried out via an internet search using the following search words and similar combinations of these words: mobile phone addiction, cell phone addiction, causes of cell phone addiction, impact of cell phone addiction. Relevant studies shall be set aside for further analysis. Studies carried out in the last 10 years shall be included in this topic, and shall mostly cover teenage addiction to mobile phones. Studies which cover other forms of addiction (i.e. internet or video game addiction) will not be included in this review. Only peer-reviewed articles carried out by credible authors will be included in this literature review. Studies which cover texting addiction only shall not be included as mobile phone addiction may also include the use of calls in the phones. Text addiction is only a part of mobile phone addiction. ... Not many students manifest extreme addiction to mobile phone use and majority of the respondents to not manifest any addictive mobile phone use patterns (Ahmed, et.al., 2011). In effect, the respondents for this study are able to use their cell phones reasonably and do not manifest extreme addictive behaviours in their cell phone use (Ahmed, et.al., 2011). The results of this study imply that although mobile phone addiction is a reality in the current widespread availability and usage of mobile phones, it can be a controllable and manageable phenomenon. This study also indicates that mobile phone addiction can be a manageable phenomenon and that users are not as prone to addiction as seems to be expected by society. It is possible for users to control their mobile phone usage to cover only their essential mobile phone needs. The topic of the study is very much relevant in the current context where mobile phone use has become very much rampant, especially among the younger population (Garcia-Montes, et.al., 2006. The study deals with a specific issue, mostly on the establishment of mobile phone use and whether or not it has become a necessity or an addiction. The discussion seeks to specifically evaluate cell phone usage among the younger generation, assessing whether or not its use has reached addictive proportions. The study is a theoretical study, as it seeks to dissect the manifestation of respondent’s behaviour in relation to addiction and necessity (Flyvbjerg, 2006). The concepts of addiction and necessity are used in order to evaluate behaviour, using specific qualities for each concept in order to fully understand the respondent behaviour and mobile phone usage (Biel,

Applying the Chronic Illness Trajectory Framework to a past client Coursework

Applying the Chronic Illness Trajectory Framework to a past client - Coursework Example Doctors performed a diagnosis of CORP exacerbation alongside uncontrollable blood glucose that has a link to the respiratory treatment. Through cross-examining the victim, I apprehended that the he had been diagnosed with a chronic ailment. I attributed the cause of his illness to his exposure to toxic materials while serving in the American Air force. Here, I linked the cause to the first assumptions that indicate that the courses of chronic conditions are dynamic and changes with time. As the interrogation continued, I realized that the course of the patient’s condition would have been altered if he would not have denied his condition. As a result of his denial, his COPD evolved and soon he realized that he faced an elevated intolerance phenomenon that caused the supplementation of oxygen during exercises and medication. The patient’s condition would have been shaped and managed before it developed into the chronic state. The patient would have changed his career to a void getting exposes to more of the combustions fumes that his work entailed (Whittemore & Dixon, 2008). The technology involved in the treatment of the victim’s case was oxygen treatments machines. Long term oxygen therapy treatment that is subject to controversy based on its effectiveness was also administered. With the continual administration of the therapy, the condition of the patient worsened depicting that there was a way in which the technology used in the treatment affected him negatively. He later developed the symptoms of dyspnea and coughing and this necessitated hospitalization to attain a status of control. It seems the consequences of the technological effects led to the attraction of Type 2 diabetes that the patient’s diagnosis confirmed. Consequently, the patient could not acquire some of the biographical fulfillment and perform his daily activities such as dressing and taking a shower. As a result, his

Mine water and mine waste management Assignment

Mine water and mine waste management - Assignment Example ocess of applications: 1) that water is sliced off from a natural resource to become part of the working process in mining operations, and to also provide fresh water to the crew; and 2) that natural water resources must be diverted away from the area in order to continue providing clean and environmentally safe resources to surrounding towns and to the natural habitat (Watson & Furey, 2013). Diversion channels assist above ground to moving stream and lake waters away from mining operations. At the same time, channel infrastructures must also be designed to isolate water at the mine from one process to the next one, whether the water is to be cleaned or else mixed with waste (rock and tailings), or used in another part of the mining process. This chapter reviews the components of mine water and mine waste as part of the waste management infrastructure. The following image shows the management design layout for the separations of solid waste on the one side, and mine water drainage on the other side, particular to a copper mine operation (Mining Profile, 2012). In the mining industry, the term â€Å"waste,† as defined by the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) of 1976, is based on the specific circumstances of causation and in what part of the management process. In some cases, â€Å"waste† is not really a waste, based on the RCRA, such as when considering mine water or process wastewater, which is controlled by permit through the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) (Mining Profile, 2012). Mine water, therefore, does not fall under the RCRA regulations. 1.1.a. Waste Rock refers to both â€Å"overburden† and mine development rock which is removed from underground mines in order to access the bodies of ore located underneath. There is none, or very little of, recoverable mineral value in either type. As waste rock is susceptible to air and water, once hauled to disposal dumps, potentially, there will be oxygen and sulphide minerals

To what extent has contemporary sociological theory advanced our Essay

To what extent has contemporary sociological theory advanced our understanding of race and racism - Essay Example llective, and how they have developed a common culture, while theories about cultural transmission help explain how this common culture sustains itself over generations. These are all helpful theories that explain racial identity. That said, the origins of racism are much more difficult to explain, and theories have been unsatisfactory in this regard. Some theories base racism in economic realities, others see racism as a product of dominance and dependency, while still others see an inherent intelligence gap between races, and this explains how races are separated. Therefore, no one theory regarding racial relations is satisfactory. That said, there are commonalities between the theories, so, by combining the theories, one can come up with a composite whole that might be helpful in explaining racial difference, relations and racism. The first issue that must be examined is how contemporary sociology views the issues of race and ethnicity, by examining ethnic identity theory. An ethnic group is â€Å"a reference group called upon by people who share a common history and culture, who may be identifiable because they share similar physical features and values and who, through the process of interacting with each other and establishing boundaries with others, identify themselves as being a member of that group† (Smith, 1991, p. 181). In other words, ethnic identity theory encompasses what it means to be white, black, Jewish, Irish, Chicano, etc. (White & Burke, 1987, p. 311). Ethnic identity theory derives from how one feels about his or her membership in the identified ethnic group, which includes the symbols, beliefs and values of that group. Moreover, ethnicity is not a choice – one must be born into it (Smith, 1991, p. 182). Ethnic identity development is the process that one takes to come to term s with one’s ethnicity (Smith, 1991, p. 182). Ethnic identity is learned from one’s family and community, and is developed from shared religion, culture,

Arrests vs. Stops (Response) Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Arrests vs. Stops (Response) - Assignment Example driving are more invasive because the driver would be denied his or her right to freedom of movement, taken to court, and fined, leaving their individual life more disrupted. The discussion draws several parallels from the findings of Fields and Emshwiller (2014) in relation to the more far-reaching effects of arrests. However, unlike the discussion, Fields and Emshwiller have backed up their findings with more reliable facts and figures relating to the expected education achievement and the economic status of the suspects or convicts at 25 years of age. For instance, according to Fields and Emshwiller (2014), 21% of individuals arrested by 23 will own a home; 15% of victims of arrests who are acquitted by courts will own a home; and 10% of victims of arrest and conviction will own a home at 25. The researchers provide accurate figures suggesting that arrests and subsequent conviction have lasting, negative effects on the victims. However, the research falls short of exploring other equally important contributing social factors affecting education, future employment and income among adolescents. These factors include; family income, race, ethnicity and parenting. Generally, better family income among people of color, effective parenting and white race are factors which are usually associated with better social and economic prospects of adolescents in adulthood. Fields, G., & Emshwiller, J.R., (2014). As Arrest Records Rise, Americans Find Consequences Can Last a Lifetime. Retrieved from

Why Strategic Planning Is Important for FBI Investigations Research Paper - 1

Why Strategic Planning Is Important for FBI Investigations - Research Paper Example An organization should also increase its innovativeness and an open mind to allow room for creative thinking. According to Hanna (1989, pp4), in his article, he emphasizes on the importance of strategic planning is flexible, selective and responsive, such that, it should increase creative thinking and understanding. In addition, managers must embrace the strategy and must aim at meeting the customer’s needs. The author further adds that the management should incorporate a clear mission, a well thought and communicated strategy, and the management drive, in which they are expected to be communicators and motivators to the rest of the staff. According to FBI (2007, pp5), the federal bureau of investigation (FBI) intelligence operations includes the war against terrorism. The FBI priorities vary from protecting the United States against foreign intelligence operations and attacks via cyber and high tech crimes. The FBI also protects civil rights and deals with corruption in the country; in general, it guarantees national security (FBI 2010). However, this department is faced with many challenges, among them being lack of a good training program for the analysts. Secondly, there is a deficit in the number of translators especially of the Arabic origin, hence the need to recruit quality and qualified agents, and the need for more resources. Nevertheless, the threats on national security, for instance, the attempt on airline bombing during Christmas by the al Qaeda and the cyber intrusion at Google are some of the challenges that the FBI has had to deal with. Corruption cases are also numerous and so are health scams and Pon zi schemes that affect the American citizens who rely on the FBI for justice.

Semiotic examination Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Semiotic examination - Essay Example The TV show is a host talk show where there are some audiences. Those involved in the talk show are three significant individuals; they include the talk show host, the invited guest, and another person participating through a video link on the show. The show is taking place in an auditorium where the host and the guest are on the stage the audience is upfront, and the host is taking the guest to task through questions (Dreyfus, 2011). The effect of the video can be drawn from the reaction of the audience present. Applauds are heard as the guests authoritatively responds to these questions. The significant components of the video clip include some introductory graphics introducing the title show. The appealing colors used catch the attention of the viewer at the initial start. As the clip progresses the trademark logo of the show is evident background instrumentals soundtrack is being played this goes inline of demonstrating the whole thing as captivating, which creates a perception o n the viewer that what waits is exciting. Through the use of fading effects, the talk show is ushered where the hosts instantly is captured on the introductory remarks. First introducing the person participating through a video link seen on a screen on the backdrop of the page, Which is made up of various screens and graphics which are symbolic appearance; the video shows an up-close view of the host and guests; the guests irregularly engage the audience who respond with applauds, the video is motivational from the context of what is being discussed, and it is likely to have an inspirational effect on the viewers. The video clip is made of a high resolution which may be highly appealing to the viewer, in addition to the bright silver, colors. That suits the entire event and also an active audience. The stated components have various effects on to the viewer this include their reactions perceptions and conclusions. The introductory graphics and soundtrack and the graphics try to move the viewers’ attention to continue watching the rest of the clip. Research has proved, that 80% of those who watched any visual contents decide to do it depending on the impression made in the first few seconds of the video clip. The soundtrack creates an ambience that is inspiring, and in line with the content of the video. The backdrop consists of several screens and colorful graphics with colors which offer a high appeal not only to the viewer but also the participating audience. The most important part is the fact that the viewers can identify with the topic of discussion due to its motivational nature this creates a feeling of relativity, which encompasses the viewer to the line of thinking making the video more and more appealing to him. The video conferencing link on the start of the video makes the whole context real coupled up with the occasional laughter from the participants and the guests present. The setting of the participants is unique to other talk shows, and this gives an edge to the clip. The setting in which the video is done also adds to its appeal the body language and posture assumed when paying attention to the video link participant shows the different angles it portrays, it makes the video to be exhaustive in regards to all the participants involved. The presence of a life audience in the video adds to the personal touch and relates to how they express their emotions and convey their feelings to the subject

APN Role Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

APN Role - Essay Example Core APN Competencies The APN is a group of nurse practitioners that includes nurses holding a post graduation in nursing as per the advanced practice registered nurse (APRN) (Jansen & Zwygart-Stauffacher, 2010; APRN Joint Dialogue Group, 2008). The group ensures a vital role in the future of the health care industry. Contextually, it has been affirmed that there are certain core competencies that together form an efficient and effective APN nurse (Joel, 2013). They are illustrated in detail hereunder. Expert Coaching and Guidance An APN nurse should have the leadership skills to initiate guidance or mentorship in given point of time. This means the nurse should be able to put her vision into action while associating with a particular health care unit. He/she should also need to acquire the skills including proper education, expertise in clinical content and implementation of proper learning principles among others to incorporate the competency (Hamric, Hanson, Tracy & O'Grady, 2013; Bryant-Lukosius, DiCenso, Browne, & Pinelli, 2004). Consultation This is a vital competency to be acquired not only for APN but also for any other health care professional. ... Research Skills In accordance to these competencies, the APN should have the ability to research more and more with regard to derive a thorough understanding. In this regard, evidence-based programs of teachings and implementation of evidence-based literature for clinical practices would be vital aspects to be considered (Cooke, Gemmill & Grant, 2008). Clinical and professional leadership This competency of the APN requires the nurses to act as a change agent in certain cases and advocate for patients. Furthermore, he/she should require acting as a leader in certain circumstances, initiating any decisions of change (Cooke, Gemmill & Grant, 2008). Collaboration Working in collaboration with the members of the health is among the common competencies of an APN. Respecting the work and contribution of the colleagues is a prime requirement in accordance to this competency (Cooke, Gemmill & Grant, 2008) Ethical Decision-Making skills This is an integral part not only for APN but also for a ny other profession. APN’s should act as a moral agent by generating an ethical environment abiding certain principles and fidelity (Cooke, Gemmill & Grant, 2008). Summary of an APN Outcome Research Study The study of Cooke, Robin Gemmill and Marcia Grant (2008) naming â€Å"APN Core Competencies: A Framework for Developing and Testing an APN Discharge Intervention† depicts a vital aspects regarding APN significance. The APN concerning to the research study, conducted various self-care activities to examine the complications that arise in a discharge patient after transplantation. In this stand, it has been further discussed that, core competencies of APN like guidance, consultation, research skills, clinical leadership, collaboration as well as

Reflection paper Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Reflection paper - Assignment Example Besides, written English contains many punctuation errors especially in the use of a full stop, comma and semicolon. With respect to this, I understood that long sentences not only confuse the reader by the wordy content, but it also a challenge in marking the best punctuations. As simple as spoken English seems to be, working with articles was one of my greatest challenges in the written form. Through the support of my instructor and class tutorials, I learnt that the article â€Å"THE† is appropriate in front of a noun familiar to the reader. Whereas, A /AN can only be used by countable nouns. That is to say nouns with justifiable plurals. More interestingly, I pointed out that THE article is applicable in dynamic situations alters sentence fragment to give a different meaning. Consequently, as an ESL student, grammar was my serious challenge, as illustrated by our English instructor ‘no one can perfect his grammar unless through consistent

Dont ask dont tell policy should gays be allowed in the military Research Paper

Dont ask dont tell policy should gays be allowed in the military argumentative - Research Paper Example At the same time because of the psychological and biological reasons, it is difficult for a soldier to control or limit his sexual energy for a prolonged period. He will definitely try to release his sexual energy in one way or other. In most of the cases, the unsatisfied soldiers may engage in same sex sexual activities in order to release their sexual energy. Thus the number of gays in the military may goes on increasing. ‘Homosexuals serving in military’ is not a new issue. It started even thousands of years before. Famous philosopher, Plato has pointed out the presence of gays in ancient Greek military in some of his books. When we examine the Napoleonic wars, there also we can see the details about the presence of gays in military. In short, the peculiar life styles forced many of the soldiers to become homosexuals. Unlike normal life, the soldiers forced to interact only with the male community during their stay in military which prevent them from expressing their emotions, feelings or desires freely. In military only the military goals are important rather than the individual needs. The unsatisfied soldiers often select homosexuality to release their sexual energy. Even the military officers know the sexual behaviors of the soldiers. But in most of the cases, the officers will not take it seriously. Most of the Western countries including United Kingdom, France, and Russia permit gay people to serve in the military whereas China and United Sates are against it. Israel is one country which encourages gays to serve in the military. The reluctance of United Sates in allowing gay people to serve in the military has provoked lot of discussions in America and currently the issue is under judicial review. Even the political parties and political leaders have different opinions about allowing gays to serve in the military. Dont ask, dont tell (DADT) is a policy implemented in US military by law,

Questions on One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (Penguin Classics Deluxe Assignment

Questions on One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (Penguin Classics Deluxe Edition) (Penguin Classics) - Assignment Example McMurphy is rebellious as well due to his counterattack to the rules of the nurse. The mental ward engrosses inmates that are under the directives of the Big Nurse. She imposes rules that sought to govern the inhabitants of the ward. The rules regulated and dictated on the conduct of the inhabitants of the mental ward. According to McMurphy, these rules were oppressive to the inhabitants of the ward (Kesey, 14). Due to his exuberant nature, he disqualifies the rules and engages the other inhabitants in rebellion. This was besides his smuggling business of wine and women in the ward. These are the key events in the section of the novel. Chief Bromden is aware of Murphy’s attempts. He observes that McMurphy has intentions to revolt against the nurse. His voice formulates the narration of the novel. This is a trustworthy narrator of the events. The events of the novel mainly take place within the mental ward. Bromden is trustworthy as he is observant of the interactions and events of the characters. He is introverted and communicates purely of his observations within the mental ward (Kesey, 26). He also gives an analogy of his society, which implicates that non-conformists always face adversity and bias. McMurphy is subject to charges for battery and gambling (Kesey, 7). Conviction had not been issued, and he ran to the mental ward to escape the law. This fact in the text presents Murphy as an escapist. He opted to be in the ward to evade conviction. McMurphy is proud of rape as his entitlement (Kesey, 86). Evidently, Murphy is entirely inhumane and he deeply advocates for criminal acts. These quotes inform readers much about McMurphy’s traits and intentions. I connect much with Nurse Ratched. She has much attention on humanity. Despite of her authoritative nature, she advocates for justice. This is evident when she intends to report McMurphy to Billy’s mother (Kesey, 102). She could not tolerate McMurphy raping Billy and taking her

An effective speaker paper comparison critique of 2 famous speeches Essay - 1

An effective speaker paper comparison critique of 2 famous speeches - Essay Example Both speeches were enthralling considering that they were delivered by Presidential candidates. Personally, I was impressed by both speeches because they were towering and very insightful. Both speeches remind us of our struggle and our best qualities, on how we were able to surmount them through hardwork and perseverance. In Obama’s speech, I particularly like the line â€Å"time and again these men and women struggled and sacrificed and worked till their hands were raw so that we might live a better life. They saw America as bigger than the sum of our individual ambitions; greater than all the differences of birth or wealth or faction. This is the journey we continue today†. This is very appropriate considering that America was under a crisis and still is struggling to overcome it. Obama also spoke of national unity, â€Å"to end petty grievances and false promises† recognizing that America is shaped by â€Å"every language and culture, drawn from every planet of this earth†. Finally, Obama relate that he is one of the â€Å"People (who) have remained faithful to the ideals of our forbearers†. Romney’s speech is equally towering. He also spoke of our struggles and offered hope. He enumerated that he knew the struggle of common man by relating â€Å"driving home late from that second job, or standing there watching the gas pump hit 50 dollars and still going, when the realtor told you that to sell your house youd have to take a big loss† was very reflective of the pain of many Americans during the financial crisis. He added â€Å"But what could you do? Except work harder, do with less, try to stay optimistic. Hug your kids a little longer; maybe spend a little more time praying that tomorrow would be a better day† it was indeed a dark moment that Mitt Romney painted emblematic of the American’s struggle

American monopolies Essay Example for Free

American monopolies Essay This short article by Douglas A. McIntyre paints a very good picture of how many of the American Technologies companies are pure monopolies within this industry. McIntyre opens this article by saying â€Å"A monopoly is either what the government says it is or what a dominant company’s competitors claim. The Governments opinion is the only one that counts†¦. † (McIntyre, 2012). McIntyre then mentioned that there was this Act that prohibits businesses from activities that are found to be anticompetitive that is called the 1890 Sherman Antitrust Act. After seeing this, I was curious of what was the true meaning behind this Act and after a few searches I found that according to Wikipedia, â€Å"The Sherman Antitrust Act is a landmark federal statute on United States competition law passed by Congress in 1890. It prohibits certain business activities that federal government regulators deem to be anticompetitive, and requires the federal government to investigate and pursue trusts, companies, and organizations suspected of being in violation. It was the first federal statute to limit cartels and monopolies, and today still forms the basis for most antitrust litigation by the United States federal government. † (Wikipedia 2013). After learning that such Act is in place, I now see why there are not very many true monopolies, meaning that they own 100% of the market and how the government has a say in how companies are ran. In my opinion, I honestly feel that is a very beneficial law to have in the books because it gives an entrepreneur or another business a fair chance at entering a chosen market. But on the other hand, it’d only be smart to enter a market that you honestly feel you have a chance to survive in, or you’d only be setting yourself up for failure. Anyhow, McIntyre goes on to provide a list called the â€Å"New Generation of American Monopolies† which is a list of all the biggest companies in the technology industry that control the markets in their respective produce. Not to my surprise of the many big names on this list, in which most reside in the Silicon Valley like Google, Microsoft, Facebook, Intel, Apple and even Paypal. Most of these are more of an Oligopoly, meaning they share the market, except for one that was of a surprise to me which was Sirius XM satellite radio simply for the fact that this company was the only true monopoly and does have 100% of the market. Maybe it was just because I really never thought about Sirius having competition? But maybe I didn’t think of this because they have absolutely zero competition. After a little more research on wikipedia, I found that back in the early 2000’s there was a little competition between two different satellite companies, XM and Sirius, but due to the money that it takes to keep satellites in orbit, the two realized that the only way they’d both survive was to merge, so in 2007 they did (Wikipedia). I truly found this article really interesting because it was broke down into each product,(i. e. search engine, operations system, social media sites, digital video streaming, microchips, tablet computer and even e-readers) and then explained why each of the top companies where so dominant. Some were there because of the sheer size of their company and others made it just because they made a better produce which made for a higher demand of that produce in which pinched out the competition. To just give a few of the examples, Google controls 90. 1% of the search engine market over Yahoo and Bing, Microsoft controls 89. 7% of the windows operating systems over Mac OS X and Linux, Intel controls 80. 3% of the microchips market over AMD, and Apple iPad controls 73% of the market over Android and Samsung (McIntyre, 2012). In conclusion, with all the advancements of technologies of today, each of these companies are respectable and are at the top of their game because they are all very efficient at what they do, highly profitable, price setters, great advertisers, and have the power to control the markets. Works Cited McIntyre, Douglas A. , (22 March 2011).The New Generation of American Monopolies. 24/7 Wallstreet. Retrieved from http://247wallst. com/investing/2011/03/22/the-new-generation-of-american-monopolies/print/ Wikipedia. (2 July 2013). In Wikipedia the free encyclopedia online. Retrieved from http://owl. english. purdue. edu/owl/resource/560/10/.

HR information system Essay Example for Free

HR information system Essay Human resource Management is a fundamental part of an organization. The use of technology for the advancement of human resource management has risen extensively from the last decade. In today’s organizations technology greatly influences the managerial processes and techniques in the human resources department. Information Technology has proven itself useful in every area of human life. It is become essential for organizations around the world to use advanced technology in departments of development, maintenance recruitment and various others. The large range of applications provided by IT have become indispensable for any operation and have proven themselves a quality improving and time saving necessity for the organizations desiring development and success. In the human resources management, technology is not only responsible for bringing positive changes but it has also brought a number of issues and challenges for organizations. The most major challenge that a company faces in the process of adopting and implementing these technologies is the restructuring of the HR modules. It is important for the effective functioning of the technologies to be aligned with the HR functions. The creation of a correct management atmosphere is important for the existence of successful and authentic organizations. The research encompasses the challenges and issues that come in the path of organizations while implying IT techniques on HR functions. Research Question How does the implementation of IT effect the human resource management and what advantages or disadvantages an organization faces when applying programs such as SAP? Aim The aim of this research is to determine the use of information systems in order to integrate Information Technology in Human Resource functions and also to outline the role of software programs namely SAP in human resource management and how it is effective in accomplishing this merger between technology and various Human Resource areas. Objectives to Achieve the Aim 1. To outline the importance of introducing Information Technology in Human Resources. 2. To discuss how Information Technology affects the progress of human resource management. 3. To describe the role that SAP plays in implementing technology in human Resources. 4. To explain the processes by which SAP software influences the Human Resource functions of an organization. 5. To determine what are the aspects which ensure the success of the implementation of Information Technology techniques in Human Resource Management. 6. To review the benefits and drawbacks that comes with the introduction of information systems in human resources. 7. To determine the functions of Information Technology within an organization. 8. To identify the nature of challenges and problems that can come in consequence of applying Information Technology techniques across Human resource functions. 9. To study how by the help of several techniques and methods Human Resources can evade these issues and challenges . 10. To summarize how effective is a merger between human resource and information technology to an organization’s development. Background of Research The research is based on the fact that how much advanced technology has become an important part of the business world in modern times. It is not possible for organizations to function properly in any department without the assistance of Information Technology and the tools it provides. Manual methods of management processes and transactions in firms are fast dying and being replaced by faster and surer methods of achieving various tasks that are required to be done. The old techniques cannot compete in today’s fast paced world and every institute should be ready to make the reforms and accept the changes that are brought upon their implementations. They need to hire employees who are efficient in technological operations or familiar with the advanced equipment and take assistance from IT related training  courses like SAP to make their employees aware of the advancements made in the processes of managing every aspect in a company and making them proficient in bringing those methods in their practice to improve the company’s standards and boost its growth. Organizations which do not take advantage from this wave of technology and do not learn to balance on it are sure to be submerged in the growing rate of the use of technology. The Human Resource department has also not lagged behind in this technological advancement marathon. Most organizations have been using one form or other of Human Resource information system over the last decade. In a research conducted in 2002 it has been found that seventy percent of the organizations in Europe use Internet or Intranet to provide Human Resource services to employees. Surveys done in the United Kingdom alone in 2005 by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development revealed that seventy seven percent of companies use HRIS. In a similar research done by Cranfield School of Management in 2003 it found out an even higher number of companies, at eighty two percent, that use HRIS. A human resource information system is able to give various performances ranging from the simple storage of data and communication of information to the entangled process of transactions. With the advancement of technology the functions provided by HRIS have increased and enhanced. HRIS is designed and improved to be beneficial to the functions of Human Resources, line managers, and the entire organization on the whole. If an overall study is done without bias the use of Information Technology has more advantages than problems. It has brought speed, accuracy, efficiency and fewer chances of downfalls in company processes and most importantly has brought a decrease in HR costs. It has also made possible to make Human Resource information available to managers and employees, enabling them to perform uncomplicated human Resource tasks themselves. The implementation of HRIS in order to cut down the cost rates of a company to lessen the burden of transaction and administration on Human Resource functions can lead to a modification in the constitution of HR and allow the function to also play an strategic part in the company. There can be various reasons due to which a company introduces HRIS to influence its functions such as the need to bring improvement to company processes or reduce cost to bring developments in communication and the growth of customer services. Rationale of the research This research has been done to outline in detail to show how the advancement of technology has affected Human Resources. It has raised standards of recruitment, training, data storage and retrieval and performance management. Before the HR recruiting teams had to rely on the print material, namely newspapers, to post ads about jobs get applicants for positions that need to be filled. More methods like networking were also used but that prevented the human resource recruiters to post jobs on a number of locations and also there was no method to make the ads visible to millions of people. Technology has made the method of recruitment more effectual and makes a much greater impact on HR than the old techniques. Training methods have also improved due to technology. In the past years there was were no ways to come in contact of company information and training programs from far way locations. The training of HR workers in virtual classrooms enables trainers to train larger numbers of people than before. Data storage and retrieval has also had a positive effect by the technological advances. The virtual files are more easily accessible and flexible in matters of changing data according to the wish of the HR professionals. It has become easy to monitor the performance of employees and also to receive feedback from the employees for the progress of the organization. Literature Review Emma Parry (2010) determines in the Benefits of technology in Human Resources Management that the use of technology has grown considerably in the last few years in the Human Resource department. She enhances how the capabilities and performances in the Human resource have gown because of the introduction of HRIM. It leads to take Human resource management to a whole new level. It allows it to emerge with a strategic role after the implementation of HRIM. Johnson and Gueuta (2011) states in Transforming HR through Technology that human resources is becoming a more technology based pr0ofession over the years. In most companies people think of Human Resources department more as a portal than a person. According to the recent researches it has been determined that companies who properly use the technologies provided by Human Resources are far successful and advanced than the ones who don’t.  Julie Bulmash (2012) describes Human Resource technology has advanced over the past decade and discusses the importance of technology on the role of human Resource professionals. And how do they make the function of Human Resources much more efficient, smooth and speedy. Methodology: Methodology refers to the methods of collecting data that have been used in the research. Here it will be briefly explained what kind of data collecting methods have been applied and the reason behind choosing that type of method. This research will be using the qualitative research methods for the collection of data. Data collection Methods To employ the qualitative research approach the questionnaire method of data collection has been chosen. A questionnaire has been created in that method in order to collect data by providing the employee with a questionnaire and he\she are asked to answer the questions given. The questions can be multiple choices or open ended questions. They decide how exactly the analysis of job can be done. This approach is quite effective because people would carefully to put anything in writing without thinking. A questionnaire was given to the employees to determine their opinions on various topics such as Information Technology, hospitality, finance, manufacturing, retail, and defense. The feedback gave a clear view on which areas need to be worked on. Based upon it and a theoretical comprehension of the field of Human resources it became easier to point out the problems that should be discussed on the research and which haven’t been brought to light before. Qualitative research This method of research is a primary source of research. It is exploratory and is used in order to achieve comprehension of fundamental reasons, motivations and opinions. It gives insight to assess the nature of the problem or assist in building of ideas or hypothesis for the secondary research process or quantitative research method. Qualitative research is used also for uncovering of inclinations people’s thoughts or opinions and ponder harder to get to the root of a problem by that. The methods for qualitative data collecting vary according to the form of techniques used.  Whether they are structured or non structured. Conceptual Framework Human resources technology has evolved from the use of paper work and pencil to computers electronic databases and human resource information systems. Internet based technology has played an important role in enabling HR to decrease transactional activities and focus more on playing a strategic role in organizations. The main areas that HRIS system works on are recruitment, employee administration, pension administration, health and safety, data collecting, saving and organizing, compensation and benefits administration, management of the company, employment equity and payroll interface. The functions of HRIS are to create and organize records of employees, reporting of work performances, Hr planning and forecasting, and management of talent, strategic alignment and development of decision power. The role of HR workers has also changed considerably according to advancement of technology. The acquire proficiency now in Human resource technology and its delivery, personal credibility, and vast business knowledge. Current technology will continue to bring advancements in HR performances and will continue to focus on the value that HR brings to an organization. Conclusion The human resource sector has made numerous advances due to technology in the past era and will continue to do so with the changes that are brought by the constant upheaval in the IT world of making things more effective and fast than before. HRIS has made various areas of HR extremely accessible and successful in accordance to the fast paced world of today. The methods of recruiting employees, managerial organization, data storage, training of professionals and more areas have undergone major changes due to the integration of Information Technology in the world of Human Resources. If these changes haven’t been employed and training programs hadn’t been designed to create technological awareness and familiarity it would’ve been a big setback to organizations. It has risen the standards of professionals working in human resources and the organizations have been able to get productivity, creativity, innovation and progress in finances on a whole new  level. HR technology is still going through this evolution of technology as they must use newer and refined methods of generating an organization’s human capital. Human resources would need to continue adopting the latest technological trends in order to keep up with advancements and provide more efficient functions. It will need to use technology to redefine their areas in which they work to derive more productivity. The increment in the usage of portals and intranets and other virtual tools will bring a more great impact on Human resource performance in the near future. Bibliography Storey, J. (Ed.). (2007). Human resource management: A critical text. Cengage Learning EMEA. Ulrich, D. (2013). Human resource champions: The next agenda for adding value and delivering results. Harvard Business Press. Bohlander, G., Snell, S. (2006). Managing human resources. Cengage Learning. Lawler, E. E., Mohrman, S. A. (2003). HR as a strategic partner: what does it take to make it happen?. Human Resource Planning, 26(3), 15-29. Varian, H. R., Farrell, J. V. (2004). The economics of information technology: An introduction. Cambridge University Press. Goo, J., Kishore, R., Rao, H. R., Nam, K. (2009). The Role of Service Level Agreements in Relational Management of Information Technology Outsourcing: An Empirical Study. Mis Quarterly, 33(1).

Analysis of Human Fossil Findings in Indonesia

Analysis of Human Fossil Findings in Indonesia Indonesia is an important country to examine about human origins and evolution, due to many sites within central Java, such as Sangiran and Ngandong which account for 75 percent of the world’s Homo erectus findings (Frederick Worden, 2011). Evolution of Homo sapiens in Indonesia has shown Indonesian archipelago was inhabited by Homo erectus, which were known as the â€Å"Java Man†, between 1.5 million years ago and resent as 35,000 years ago. About 800,000 years ago, some of the earliest hominids of the archipelago made tools, constructed boats, used fire, and had a language (Fredrick Worden, 2011). Furthermore, about 600,000 years ago, these hominids have developed a more complex and civilized culture which was dispersing throughout Indonesia (Fredrick Worden, 2011). Patterns of evolution started to form through hunting, fishing, and creating communities which depended on tools made of materials such as shell, wood, bamboo, and stone (Fredrick Worden, 2011). The most recent discoveries in human fossils, were in 2004 on the island of Flores, Indonesia, which is located between Bali and Timor. Flores, Indonesia is one of many Wallacean islands, which lie east of Wallaces Line and west of Lydekkers Line.Teams of archeologists found an entirely new type of hominid species at the Liang Bua excavation site, which has since been named Homo floresiensis. This type of hominid has been considered a new hominid type that had locally evolved, was a considerably smaller hominid, and was mixed between Homo erectus and modern humans (Fredrick Worden, 2011). Homo floresiensis was a dwarf human, which lived at Liang Bua between at least 95,000 and 13,000 years ago. The species was believed to have used stone tools, fire, and hunted small animals found on Flores (Foley, 2005). The newly found remains had a skull that appeared to belong to a hominine species, possibly belonging to a child considering its size, but once the remaining parts of its skull and teeth were found and they concluded it did not belong to a child, but an adult. The remains of this hominines partial skeleton was found and, the likes of which had never been discovered before.Today, this specimen is referred to as Liang Bua 1 (Smithsonian Institution, 2014). The earliest modern humans coexisted with their hominid relatives for thousands of years, although there is no evidence of this at Liang Bua (Fredrick Warden, 2011). Although Indonesia is extremely diverse ethnically, with more than 350 distinct ethnic groups that are recognized, along with 13 languages spoken by 1 million speakers (Fredrick Warden, 2011). Human immigration to the islands of Indonesia occurred as long ago as 3000BC, and was continuous for about 3000 years. People immigrated to Indonesia in small groups and established independent civilizations all around the coast, occasionally coexisting with the hostile descendants of â€Å"Java Man† (Frederick Worden, 2011). In the next several millennia Indonesia developed cultural characteristics that still exist today such as rice agriculture, ceramic and metal technology and the expansion of long distance seal travel and trade. Earlier inhabitants used horticultural economy in which they grew cereals, created pottery and stone tools during the period 2500 to 500 B.C (Glasscase, 2011). During the period between 500 B.C. and A.D. 500, as the people of the archipelago increasingly interacted with South and East Asia, metals and domesticated farm animals were introduced (Glasscase, 2011). The Dongson culture, which originated in Vietnam and southern China around 1000 BC, spread to Indonesia, bringing irrigated rice growing techniques, husbandry skills; buffalo sacrifice rituals, bronze casting, the custom of erecting megaliths, and ikat weaving methods. By 700 BC, Indonesia was dotted with permanent villages where life was linked to rice production (Lonely Planet, 2014). These early settlers were animists, believing all objects had a life force or soul. The spirits of the dead had to be honored, as they could still help the living and influence natural events, while evil spirits had to be warded off with offerings and ceremonies. As there was a belief in the afterlife, weapons and utensils were left in tombs for use in the next world. By the 1st century AD, small kingdoms, were little more than collections of villages with a leader, which evolved from Java (Lonely Planet, 2014). The island’s constant hot temperature, abundant rainfall and volcanic soil were ideal for wet field rice cultivation. The organization this required may explain why the Javanese developed a seemingly more successful society than the other islands. It is not certain how Hinduism and Buddhism arrived in Indonesia. The oldest works of Hindu art in Indonesia were found in Sulawesi and Sumatra in 3rd century AD (Fredrick Worden, 1992). One theory suggests that the developing courts invited Brahman priests from India to watch over on spiritual and ritual sacrifices, thereby providing status to those in control (Fredrick and Worden, 1992). In earlier kingdoms, the Hindu-Buddhist kingdom of Sriwijaya rose in Sumatra (an Indonesian island) during the 7th century AD (Lonely Planet, 2014). It was the first major Indonesian sea power able to control the trade in Southeast Asia by being located on the Strait of Melaka. The Buddhist Sailendra dynasty and the Hindu Mataram dynasty flourished in Central Java (the largest Indonesian island) between the 8th and 10th centuries (Lonely Planet, 2014). While Sriwijaya’s wealth came from trade, Javanese kingdoms like Mataram had human labor at their disposal and developed as agrarian societies. At the end of the 10th century, the Mataram kingdom declined. The centre of power shifted from Central to East Java and it was a period when Hinduism and Buddhism were united and when Javanese culture began to come into its own (Pearson Education, 2000-2014). A series of kingdoms held until the 1294 rise of the Majapahit kingdom, which grew during the reign of Hayam Wuruk from 1350 to 1389 (Pearson Education, 2000-2014). Its territorial expansion can be credited to military commander Gajah Mada, who helped the kingdom claim control over the archipelago, claiming power over smaller kingdoms and obtaining trading rights from them. After Hayam Wuruk’s death in 1389, the kingdom began a steady decline (Pearson Education, 2000-2014). The first Islamic inscriptions found in Indonesia date from the 11th century. Islam first took hold in northern Sumatra,(a western Indonesian island) where Arab traders had settled by the 13th century. From the 15th and 16th centuries, Indonesian rulers made Islam the state religion. By the 15th century, the trading kingdom of Melaka (a small Malaysian state) was reaching the height of its power and had embraced Islam (Lonely Planet, 2014). Its influence strengthened the spread of Islam through the archipelago. By the time of the collapse of the Majapahit kingdom (based on the island of Java) in the early 1500s, many of its satellite kingdoms had already declared themselves independent Islamic states (Lonely Planet, 2014). Much of their wealth came from trading spices, and Islam followed the trade routes across the archipelago. By the end of the 16th century, a new sea power had emerged on Sulawesi, which had been settled by Malay traders and whose realm spread far beyond the region (Lonely Planet, 2014). Beginning in 1602, the Dutch slowly established themselves as rulers of Indonesia and eventually laid the foundation of the Indonesian state, by taking advantage of the weakness of the small kingdoms that had replaced that of Majapahit (Pearson Education, 2000-2014). During 300 years of rule, the Dutch developed the Netherlands East Indies into one of the worlds richest colonial possessions, extracting natural resources through local elites but doing little to modernize Indonesia. By the end of the Dutch rule and after many wars and lives taken, the Indonesian people wanted to stand alone and become united. The Indonesian people started to receive a Dutch education for the children of the Indonesian elite, and with that came Western political ideas of freedom and democracy (Lonely Planet, 2014). However, the first ideas of Indonesian nationalism came from Islamic movements. Despite Dutch repression, the nationalist movement found a unified voice. In a historic announcement in 1928, the All Indonesia Youth Congress proclaimed it’s Youth Pledge, adopting the notions of one national identity, one country and one language (Lonely Planet, 2014). The battle for independence wavered between warfare and diplomacy. Under the Linggarjati Agreement of November 1946, the Dutch recognized the Republican government and both sides agreed to work towards an Indonesian federation under a Dutch commonwealth (Pearson Education, 2000-2014). The agreement was soon swept aside as war escalated. The Dutch mounted a large offensive in July 1947, causing the United Nations to step in (Pearson Education, 2000-2014). In February 1948 the Dutch launched another attack on the Republicans, breaking the United Nations agreement. Under pressure from the United States, which threatened to withdraw its postwar aid to the Netherlands, the Dutch negotiated for independence. On December 27, 1949 the Indonesian flag was raised at Jakarta’s Istana Merdeka, and power was officially handed over (Pearson Education, 2000-2014). References Foley, J. (2005, April 01).  Homo floresiensis: The hobbit. Retrieved from http://www.talkorigins.org/faqs/homs/flores.html Frederick, W., Worden, R. (1992). Early Indonesia. Retrieved from http://www.shsu.edu/~his_ncp/Indones.html Frederick, W., Worden, R. (2011).  Indonesia a country study. (6thed.). Washington, DC: Government Printing Office. Glasscase, F. (2011, June 01). Indonesia uncovered: Prehistoric indonesia. Retrieved from http://indonesiauncovered.blogspot.com/2011/06/prehistoric-indonesia.html Lonely Planet. (2014). History of Indonesia. Retrieved from http://www.lonelyplanet.com/indonesia/history ONeil, D. (1999).  Homo erectus. Retrieved from http://anthro.palomar.edu/homo/homo_2.htm Pearson Education. (2000-2014). Indonesia. Retrieved from http://www.factmonster.com/ipka/A0107634.html Prof. Palmer, Soc.3597.01, January 2014. Smithsonian Institution. (2014, January 27).  Hobbits on flores, Indonesia. Retrieved from http://humanorigins.si.edu/research/asian-research/hobbits

Smart Music Player Integrating Facial Emotion Recognition

Smart Music Player Integrating Facial Emotion Recognition Smart Music Player Integrating Facial Emotion Recognition and Music Mood Classification 1Shlok Gilda, 2Husain Zafar, 3Chintan Soni, 4Kshitija Waghurdekar Department of Computer Engineering, Pune Institute of Computer Technology, Pune, India Abstract Songs, as a medium, have always been a popular choice to depict human emotions. Reliable emotion based classification systems can go a long way in facilitating this. However, research in the field of emotion based music classification has not yielded optimal results. In this paper, we present an affective cross-platform music player, EMP, which recommends music based on the real-time mood of the user. EMP provides smart mood based music recommendation by incorporating the capabilities of emotion context reasoning within our adaptive music recommendation system. Our music player contains three modules: Emotion Module, Music Classification Module and Recommendation Module. The Emotion Module takes an image of the user as an input and makes use of deep learning algorithms to identify the mood of the user with an accuracy of 90.23%. The Music Classification Module makes use of audio features to achieve a remarkable result of 97.69% while classifying songs into 4 different mood c lasses. The Recommendation Module suggests songs to the user by mapping the emotion of the user to the mood of the song, taking into consideration the preferences of the user. Keywords-Recommender systems, Emotion recognition, Music information retrieval, Artificial neural networks, Multi-layer neural network. I. Introduction Current research in the field of music psychology has shown that music induces a clear emotional response in its listeners[1]. Musical preferences have been demonstrated to be highly correlated with personality traits and moods. The meter, timber, rhythm and pitch of music are managed in areas of the brain that deal with emotions and mood[2]. Undoubtedly, a users affective response to a music fragment depends on a large set of external factors, such as gender, age[3], culture[4], preferences, emotion and context[5] (e.g. time of day or location). However, these external variables set aside, humans are able to consistently categorize songs as being happy, sad, enthusiastic or relaxed. Current research in emotion based recommender systems focuses on two main aspects, lyrics[6][12] and audio features[7]. Acknowledging the language barrier, we focus on audio feature extraction and analysis in order to map those features to four basic moods. Automatic music classification using some mood categories yields promising results. Expressions are the most ancient and natural way of conveying emotions, moods and feelings. The facial expression would categorize in 4 different emotions, viz. happy, sad, angry and neutral. The main objective of this paper is to design a cost-effective music player which automatically generates a sentiment aware playlist based on the emotional state of the user. The application designed requires less memory and less computational time. The emotion module determines the emotion of the user. Relevant and critical audio information from a song is extracted by the music classification module. The recommendation module combines the results of the emotion module and the music classification module to recommend songs to the user. This system provides significantly better accuracy and performance than existing systems. II. Related Works Various methodologies have been proposed to classify the behaviour and emotional state of the user. Mase et al. focused on using movements of facial muscles[8] while Tian et al.[9] attempted to recognize Actions Units (AU) developed by Ekman and Friesen in 1978[10] using permanent and transient facial features. With evolving methodologies, the use of Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) for emotion recognition has become increasingly popular[11]. Music has been classified using lyrical analysis[6][12]. While this tokenized method is relatively easier to implement, on its own, it is not suitable to classify songs accurately. Another obvious concern with this method is the language barrier which restricts classification to a single language. Another method for music mood classification is using acoustic features like tempo, pitch and rhythm to identify the sentiment conveyed by the song. This method involves extracting a set of features and using those feature vectors to find patterns characteristic to a specific mood. III. Emotion Module In this section, we study the usage of convolutional neural networks (CNNs) to emotion recognition[13][14]. CNNs are known to simulate the human brain when analyzing visuals; however, given the computational requirements and complexity of a CNN, optimizing a network for efficient computation is necessary. Thus, a CNN is implemented to construct a computational model which successfully classifies emotion in 4 moods, namely, happy, sad, angry and neutral, with an accuracy of 90.23%. A.   Dataset Description The dataset we used for training the model is from a Kaggle Facial Expression Recognition Challenge, FER2013[15]. The data consists of 4848 pixel grayscale images of faces. Each of the faces are organized into one of the 7 emotion classes: angry, disgust, fear, happy, sad, surprise, and neutral. For this research, we have made use of 4 emotions: angry, happy, sad and neutral. There is a total of 26,217 images corresponding to these emotions. The breakdown of the images is as follows: happy with 8989 samples, sad with 6077 samples, neutral with 6198 samples, angry with 4953 samples. B. Model Description A multi-layered convolutional neural network is programmed to evaluate the features of the user image[16][17]. The convolutional neural network contains an input layer, some convolutional layers, ReLU layers, pooling layers, and some dense layers (aka. fully-connected layers), and an output layer. These layers are linearly stacked in sequence. 1) Input Layer: The input layer has fixed and predetermined dimensions. So, for pre-processing the image, we used OpenCV for face detection in the image before feeding the image into the layer. Pre-trained filters from Haar Cascades along with Adaboost are used to quickly find and crop the face. The cropped face is then converted into grayscale and resized to 48-by-48 pixels. This step greatly reduces the dimensions from (3, 48, 48) (RGB) to (1, 48, 48) (grayscale) which can be easily fed into the input layer as a numpy array. 2) Convolutional Layers:A set of unique kernels (or feature detectors), with randomly generated weights, are specified as one of the hyperparameters in the Convolution2D layer. Each feature detector is a (3, 3) receptive field, which slides across the original image and computes a feature map. Convolution generates different feature maps for the same input image. Distinct filters are used to perform operations that represent how pixel values are enhanced, for example, blur and edge detection. Filters are applied successively over the entire image, creating a set of feature maps. In our neural network, each convolutional layer generates 128 feature maps. Rectified Linear Unit (ReLU) has been used after every convolution operation. After a set of convolutional layers, a popular pooling method, MaxPooling, was used to reduce the dimensionality of each feature map, all the while retaining the critical information. We used (2, 2) windows which consider only the maximum pixel values within the window from the feature map. The pooled pixels form an image with dimensions reduced by 4. Rectified Linear Unit (ReLU) has been used after every convolution operation. 3) Dense Layers:The output from the convolutional and pooling layers represent high-level features of the input image. The dense layer uses these features for classifying the input image into various classes. The features are transformed through the layers which are connected with trainable weights. The network is trained by forward propagation of training data and then backward propagation of its errors. Our model uses 2 sequential fully connected layers. The network generalizes well to new images and is able to gradually make adjustments until the errors are minimized. A dropout of 20% was applied in order to prevent overfitting of the training data. This helped us control the models sensitivity to noise during training while maintaining the necessary complexity of the architecture. 4) Output Layer:We used softmax as the activation function at the output layer of the dense layer. Thus, the output is represented as a probability distribution for each emotion class. Models with various combinations of hyper-parameters were trained and evaluated utilizing a 4 GiB DDR3 NVIDIA 840M graphics card using the NVIDIA CUDA ® Deep Neural Network library (cuDNN). This greatly reduced training time and increased efficiency in tuning the model. Ultimately, our network architecture consisted of 9 convolutional layers with one max-pooling after every three convolution layers followed by 2 dense layers, as seen in Figure 1. C. Results The final network was trained on 20973 images and tested on 5244 images. At the end, the model achieved an accuracy of 90.23%. Table 1 displays the confusion matrix for the module. Evidently, the system performs very well in classifying images belonging to the angry category. We also note interesting results under happy and sad category owing to the remarkable differences in Action Units as mentioned by Ekman[11]. The F-measure of this system comes out to be 90.12%. IV. Music Classification Module In this section, we describe the procedure that was used to identify the mapping of each song with its mood. We extracted the acoustic features of the songs using LibROSA[18], aubiopitch[19] and other state-of-the art audio extraction algorithms. Based on these features, we trained an artificial neural network which successfully classifies the songs in 4 classes with an accuracy of 92.05%. The classification process is described in Figure 2. A.Dataset Description The dataset comprises of 390 songs spread across four moods. The distribution of the songs is as follows: class A with 100 songs, class B with 93 songs, class C with 100 songs and class D with 97 songs. The songs were manually labelled and the class labels were verified by 10 paid subjects. Class A comprises of exciting and energetic songs, class B has happy and joyful songs, class C consists of sad and melancholy songs, and class D has calm and relaxed songs. 1) Preprocessing: All the songs were down sampled to a uniform bit-rate of 128 kbps, a mono audio channel and resampled at a sampling frequency of 44100 Hz. We further split each song to obtain clips that contained the most meaningful parts of the song. The feature vectors were then standardized so that it had zero mean and a unit variance. 2) Feature Description: We identified several mood sensitive audio features by reading current works[20] and the results from the 2007 MIREX Audio Mood Classification task[21][22]. The candidate features for the extraction process belonged to different classes: spectral (RMSE, centroid, rolloff, MFCC, kurtosis, etc.), rhythmic (tempo, beat spectrum, etc.), tonal mode and pitch. All these descriptions are standard. All the features were extracted using Python 2.7 and relevant packages[18][19]. After identifying all the features, we used Recursive Feature Elimination (or RFE) to select those features that best contribute to the accuracy of the model. RFE works by recursively removing attributes and building a model on those attributes that remain. It uses the model accuracy to identify which attributes (and combination of attributes) contribute the most to predicting the target attribute. The selected features were pitch, spectral rolloff, mel-frequency cepstral coefficients, tempo, root mean square energy, spectral centroid, beat spectrum, zero-cross rate, short-time Fourier transform and kurtosis of the songs. B. Model Description A multi-layered neural network was trained to evaluate the mood associated with the song. The network contains an input layer, multiple hidden layers and a dense output layer. The input layer has fixed and predetermined dimensions. It takes the 10 feature vectors as input and uses ReLU operation to provide non-linearity to the dataset. This ensured that the model performs well in real-world scenarios as well. The hidden layer is a traditional multi-layer perceptron, which allowed us to make combination of features which led to a better classification accuracy. The output layer used a softmax activation function which produces the output as a probability for each mood class. C. Results We achieved an overall classification accuracy of 97.69% and F1 score of 97.692% after 10-fold cross-validation using our neural network. Table 2 displays the confusion matrix. Undoubtedly, the level of performance of the music classification module is exceptionally high. V. Recommendation Module This module is responsible for generating a playlist of relevant songs for the user. It allows the user to modify the playlist based on her/his preferences and modify the class labels of the songs as well. The working of the recommendation module is explained in Figure 3. A. Mapping and Playlist Generation Classified songs are mapped to the users mood. This mapping is as shown in figure 1. The system was developed after referring to the Russell 2-D Valence-Arousal Model and Geneva Emotion Wheel.After the mapping procedure is complete, a playlist of relevant songs is generated. Similar songs are grouped together while generating the playlist. Similarity between songs was calculated by comparing songs over 50ms intervals, centered on each 10ms time window. After empirical observations, we found that the duration of these intervals is on the order of magnitude of a typical song note. Cosine distance function was used to determine the similarity between audio files. Feature values corresponding to an audio file were compared to the values (for the same features) corresponding to audio files belonging to the same class label. The recommendation engine has a twofold mechanism; it recommends songs based on: 1. Users perceived mood. 2. Users preference. Initially, a playlist of all songs belonging to the particular class is generated. The user can mark a song as favorite depending on her/his choice. A favorite song will be assigned a higher priority value in the playlist. Also, the interpretation of the mood of a song can vary from person to person. Understanding this, the user is allowed to change the class label of the songs according to their taste of music. B. Adaptive Music Player We were able to implement an adaptive music player by the use of a very popular online machine learning algorithm, Stochastic Gradient Descent (SGD)[23]. If the user wants to change the class of a particular song, SGD is implemented considering the new label for that specific user only. Multiple single-pass algorithms were analyzed for their performance with our system but SGD performed most efficiently considering the real-time nature of the music player. Parameter updates in SGD occur after processing of every training example from the dataset. This approach yields two advantages over the batch gradient descent algorithm. Firstly, time required for calculating the cost and gradient for large datasets is reduced. Secondly, integration of new data or amendment of existing data is easier. The frequent, highly variant updates demand the learning rate ÃŽÂ ± to be smaller as compared to that of batch gradient descent[23]. VI. Conclusion The results obtained above are very promising. The high accuracy of the application and quick response time makes it suitable for most practical purposes. The music classification module in particular, performs significantly well. Remarkably, it achieves high accuracy in the angry category; it also performs specifically well for the happy and calm categories. Thus, EMP reduces user efforts for generating playlists. It efficiently maps the user emotion to the song class with an excellent overall accuracy, thus achieving optimistic results for 4 moods. References [1] Swathi Swaminathan, E. Glenn Schellenberg. Current Emotion Research in Music Psychology, Emotion Review Vol. 7, No. 2, pp. 189 ­-197, April 2015 [2] How music changes your mood, Examined Existence. [Online]. Available: http://examinedexistence.com/how-music-changes-your-mood/. 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