Relationship Between Critical Thinking and Ethics Essay

Critical thinking and ethics tend to go hand in hand and are both used on a daily basis in our decision-making process. Our personal ethics will play a part in our critical thinking and its steps. Part of the critical thinking process is to evaluate all of the information we have gleaned. Ethics will automatically insert themselves into that process. As we evaluate the information, our ethics will determine which information is accurate and which information best fits our Ethical Lens Inventory. This relationship will lead to a creation that is within the scope of our ethics. Understanding the Relationship To fully understand the relationship between critical thinking and ethics we must understand critical thinking and its steps, our Ethical Lens Inventory, how ethics influences our decisions and how ethics applies to our professional and societal responsibilities. Critical Thinking Critical thinking is taking in all of the facts available to you and evaluating those facts to reach a concise decision. There are six steps in the critical thinking process. The first step is remembering. Remembering is the base for the follow on five steps. Remembering is the ability to recall key details and facts on the information you have reviewed. The second step is understanding. Understanding is the ability for you to take what you remembered and put it in your words. The third step is applying. Applying is the ability take the information and create a product or result. The fourth step is analyzing. Analyzing is the ability to break down your idea into parts. The fifth step is evaluating. Evaluating is taking the information you have and rating its truthfulness and usefulness. The sixth step is creating. Creating is the culmination of all the previous steps to produce a  result. Ethical Lens Inventory My Ethical Lens Inventory is Rights and Responsibility. I use my reasoning skill to determine my duties as well as the universal rules that each person should follow. My blind spot is the belief that motives justify methods. In this way, I tend not to use emotion but rather stay emotionally detached when applying ethics. People around me tend to think of me as callous and emotionless when making an ethical decision. Sometimes this can frighten or upset them, even though this is not my intention. Once people around me begin to understand my ethical lens inventory, they tend to respect me more and stop being frightened or upset. How My Personal Ethics Influence My Decision Making My personal ethics influences every decision I make. My personal ethics were acquired throughout my life and have become a part of who I am. They were instilled upon me through mentors, friends, loved ones and life experiences. None were forced upon me, and I made the conscious decision through these actions to choose what best suited me. Because of this, more often than not when making a decision my personal ethics are automatically inserted just as if I had taken a breath. My personal ethics helps me when making a decision by providing a guideline to the outcome of the decision, however this is not always the case. There are certain times and situations where I will consciously â€Å"bend† my personal ethics. However I bend them they remain within reason. How Ethics Apply to Professional and Societal Responsibilities Ethics means a great deal when we apply them to our professional and personal life. When people see the decisions we make and how we conduct ourselves they form opinions about us. This opinion can lead them to believe we are a good co-worker, boss, friend or lover. With poor ethics this can have an opposite effect. There are people who do not have good ethics, or choose to ignore them, who may try to influence our ethics. Being true to your ethics will only strengthen your resolve. Applying ethics in your professional life can lead you to be successful. The same can be true when applying ethics to your societal life. Consistency plays a significant role in this. You must remain consistent when applying your ethics. Failure to do so will lead some to think you do not have a good  ethical standard.

Is war ever justified?? Essay

Diamond, a precious metal, is famous for two important characteristics which are its hardness and thermal conductivity, although, extraction and processing of a diamond are a very difficult process. Diamond is one of the most expensive metals in the world as it is rarely found in the world. The extraction and processing of a diamond is done in the following manner: Discovery of diamond mine, Extraction of diamond in raw form, further processed in industries and finally it is supplied to the markets. The first step in the procedure of a diamond is Discovery of diamond mine, it is the major and the most difficult step in the procedure of diamond, this is because, diamond mines are rarely found in the world and it is very difficult to discover diamond mine because it requires high amount of capital, machinery and manpower. The second step in the procedure of diamond is Extraction of diamond from its mines. It is a difficult process which requires heavy machinery and labor force. Diamonds are attached in heavy rocks and these rocks come to the earth surface by volcanic eruptions. On the other hand, this stage is very risky for the labors who are working on the site this is because, in the process of extraction there are many hazardous gasses which are being leaked and which affects the health of the people who are working there so all of them must be very careful as it can be very dangerous for them. The third step in the procedure of diamond is further processing. In this step all raw form diamonds are sent to the industries where all other impurities are separated from the diamonds and these raw form of diamonds are converted into finished goods. Diamonds have many uses firstly, it is used in making jewels. Secondly, it is used as a thermal conductor in many science experiments as it is the best thermal conductor. The fourth and the last step in the procedure of diamond is the supply of diamond to the markets. In this stage finished good are supplied to the  market. Diamond is supplied worldwide because, there are very less reserves of diamonds in the world so this step is also an important one. In conclusion, the process of a diamond from its mine to finished goods is a difficult process and you need to follow these steps to safely extract diamonds. Diamonds are very expensive because of their unique characteristics and because of high process cost.

The Charismatic Gifts Debate Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

The Charismatic Gifts Debate - Essay Example Some people believe that the sign gifts exist in the present day. They believe miracles and signs that used to happen in the past are still the same miracles that happen in the present day2. The people that hold this view believe that since the miracles also happened after the coming of Jesus they exist to the present day. An example is; the signs God gave to Moses to show the Israelites that God exists, resemble those that happened in the New Testament. The signs the disciples received in the form of gifts that appeared like fire flames were also found in the New Testament. Therefore, people who believe in the existence of the signs believe this because God still showed his power and presence in the New Testament. They believe that the sign gifts were in the world all the time even during the times when the disciples of God preached the word of God throughout the nation. They believe that the people who do not experience these miracles and the sign gifts are people who do not believ e3. 1. Adeyemi Remi, Gifts of the Holy Spirit: Receiving the Content of God's Heart (Atlantic: Airleaf, 2006), 43. 2. Robinson Darrell, Incredibly Gifted: A Fresh, Biblical Look at Spiritual Gifts (Hannibal: Hannibal books, 2003), 12-23. 3. Stamp John, The signs of an apostle, and the evidence for the cessation of miraculous signs (New York: Cengage Publisher. 2006), 78-92. There are also people who believe that the sign gifts are things that God used to reach people in the past, but they do not exist in the present world. They concluded this by studying the nature and purpose of these gifts. They believe that the signs used by God in the past were for people to understand and realize the new things that God was doing. This is because God used the signs to show the people that he was instructing them. Therefore, remove any doubts that they might have that it was not him. Some of the things that God wanted man to do were things that they had not done because it was unlawful. An examp le is like when Jesus allowed the uncircumcised Gentiles to be among the people of God. If God had not used exceptional signs to show that he was the one that had accepted the Gentiles, the people could never believe. They could never allow them to join their religion. Jesus went ahead and swept everyone from the temple as traders used the house of prayer as a place to sell their merchandise. If God had sent a prophet or an ordinary man to come and chase away the traders from the temple, the traders could never have listened. Therefore, in the past, for the people of God to change and do what he required, they had to see a miracle or a sign4. Even the groups that mocked Jesus and never believed, asked Jesus to demonstrate a sign so that they could believe. The biggest sign that God gave to humankind and enabled them believe and spread the good news of God was when Jesus resurrected. When the people who opposed Jesus saw the sign from the resurrection of Jesus, most of them became be lievers. 4. Eddy Paul and Boyd Gregory, Across the Spectrum: Understanding Issues in Evangelical Theology (New York: Baker Academic, 2009), 34-35. They even preached the word of God to other places of the world, as they knew that it was God who had spoken to them. This was the main sign to make all people believers of God and his teachings. God gave the apostles sign gifts to facilitate the spread of the word of God5. There are people who believ

Strategic Marketing Case Study Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Strategic Marketing Case Study - Essay Example However, at this stage, other brands, especially those from overseas countries, are in a comfortable position in the market, thereby, posing a challenge to them. Thus, it appears that the time is ripe for the company to transform its product to meet the needs of the market. Obesity is a central focus for countries across the globe as a major public health concern in the present day and, therefore, shifting their market orientation to low-carbohydrate from premium is likely to benefit Fosters to a great extent in attaining higher market share for their product. Earlier when they marketed Pure Blonde, Fosters have focused on the premium quality of the product because the need of the hour has been answering the quest of a specific segment of consumers that have suddenly attained economic prosperity. What this segment has craved at that time has been a product that meets their distinct identity as a class of its own. Fosters have quickly recognized and responded to this expectation. Howe ver, at this stage, when other brands are commanding a better position with the premium concept, Pure Blonde needs to attract more customers by projecting their advantage as a low-carbohydrate product. This will definitely draw more people to consume their product and they can enhance their market share by deploying this strategy. On the other hand, this will preclude them from being considered as a brand focused on premium quality, which may entail the loss of some loyal customers. However, by the end of the day what matters is expanding the customer base and, in this context, an orientation towards the low carbohydrate aspect is a better option for the company to increase their sales. Discussion Question 2: Customer Profile for Female Consumers of Pure Blonde in 2013: Falls within the age group of 20 – 40 years Employed in good position and/or upwardly mobile family Cares ardently for appearances and remains obsessed with fat, sugar and carbohydrate contents of food intake Considers herself as part of the class with the right perspectives Will remain on a diet and conscientiously checks carbohydrate content in food and beverages Will rather avoid a ‘risky’ beer than enjoying it for other attributes and happily forgo a beer to save calories Will socialize with friends as well as spend time in bars, pubs or restaurants Consumes alcohol at home, with friends during lunch or dinner In the present day, the females go to extent in their bid to reduce body weight and attain slimness. Therefore, the primary concern of this segment of customers is the low carbohydrate content and they will definitely expect the product to be of a high quality. The product already enjoys a reputation for its quality and unique taste. However, it will have to add some feature that will be attractive to females and promote this aspect. Discussion Question 3: Pure Blonde’s previous success has come from the fact that they recognized the market potential at that time and modulated their product according to the market needs. Similarly, they have do rethink their strategy now and modify the product accordingly. The current marketing strategy of the company needs to focus on the product’s appeal as a low carbohydrate beer. Therefore, I would suggest the marketing director to align future marketing campaigns

Species Native Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Species Native - Research Paper Example An adult green sea turtle weighs over 500 pounds. Like all other turtle species, green sea turtles possess a hard structure called shell, whose function is to provide protection to the turtle from predators. The part of the shell that is on the dorsal (back) side is known as the carapace (Green Sea Turtles, n.d.). This portion is heart shaped, and is as long as 5 feet. It is covered with large scales which are called scutes. The ventral part of the shell that covers the belly is known as the plastron. The dorsal and ventral parts are connected to each other at the sides through hard-shelled plates which are known as lateral bridges. The connection between the carapace and plastron breaks at the openings for the head, tail and limbs. The difference between green sea turtles, land turtles and tortoises is that green sea turtles are not able to retract their small heads into the shell for extra protection. The shells of green sea turtles are very light weight and are more developed as c ompared to shells of land turtles. The limbs seem like flippers that help them swim long distances in less time, making them refined swimmers. Adult turtles are herbivorous in nature. This characteristic makes them harmless to other animals living under water with them like fish. They hold bacteria in their guts, and depend on them for digestion of plant food. This is the case with adult turtles only. Young turtles are carnivorous. They feed on jellyfish and other little invertebrates. The dorsal surface of the shell or the carapace is dark brown in color but it gets covered with patches of algae on which fish feeds. The exact lifespan of green sea turtles is still unknown. They grow very slowly. The growth is so slow that they take 10 to 50 years to be able to become sexually mature to reproduce (Bredeson, 2007). The average age of maturity is 25 years. Due to this long lifespan and period of maturity, green sea turtles take too many years to recover from a significant population

Perfect Competition and Monopoly Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Perfect Competition and Monopoly - Essay Example These structures leave one benefitted and other worsen off. Economist offer infer that perfect competition is the right way to progress in the long run as it bring efficiency in the market however; detailed discussion and comparison is essential to reach a conclusion. (Baumol & Blinder, 2011) They can be compared on the following four characteristics. No. of firms Monopoly is an industry which is comprised of a single firm who is undeniably the price maker with extensive control over the market. He is known to maximize profit through controlling output in the market. He will increase the output only if his marginal revenue is greater than its marginal cost, which will ultimately result in maximization of profits. Utility service providers are a perfect example of monopoly. In contrast, perfect competition is an industry comprised of large number of small firms, each with absolutely no control over price. They are the price takers and follow price set by the demand and supply principl es. For instance, soybeans market in California is an example of perfect competition as there are many buyers and sellers and price is set where demand and supply meets. Available Substitutes: A monopoly firm produces a unique product which has no close substitutes. Monopoly being the sole producer of the product can control the market and influence price through this characteristic. There is hardly any other company providing railway services then one in county. This gives the company a monopoly power as no close substitute is available. In contrast, a perfectly competitive industry produces identical products with limited or no differentiation in products. This industry has infinite number of substitutes which are readily available in the market. This characteristic does not allow perfectly competitive firms to charge higher than the market price. Resource Mobility: Monopoly structure contains strong barriers to entry which is the prime reason for monopolies to exist. . Adding up, there are four primary advantages that allow the monopoly firm to enjoy power and restrict the other firms to enter the market. These are economies of scale, economies of slope, cost complementary and patents. This restricts any other player to enter the market even if abnormal profits are on offer. Pharmaceutical firms pay large sum of money to buy patents which restricts other manufacturers to enter the market. In contrast, perfectly competitive firms have absolute freedom to enter or exit the industry. There are no barriers for them which does not all this structure to enjoy abnormal profits as companies enter to reap profits when they notice a probability of such a scenario. If this scenario occurs, then firms will enter the market to reap those profits which will shift the supply curve to right as shown in the graph below. The supply curve shifts from S0 to S1 which will reduce the market price from P0 to P1 that would eventually result in dipping profits. On the other hand, i f the firm in short run incurs losses, it will leave the industry and force the supply curve to left or upward from S0 to S2 , which will increase market price from P0 to P2 and hence; the firm that remain in industry will enjoy increased profits (Lambert M. Surhone, 2010). This fluctuation will remain until average cost of product is equal to market price. S1 S0 P MC S2 AC Pe Pe = MR = MC Information: In a monopoly, the information obtained by the company is

Wal-Marts Marketplace Clout Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Wal-Marts Marketplace Clout - Essay Example It is evidently clear from the discussion that Wal-Mart’s marketplace clout is tremendous. It controls about 30 percent of the household’s staples market. It sells 15 percent of all magazines and 15-20 percent of all CDs, DVDs, and videos. It is expected to soon control over 35 percent of U.S food sales. Wal-Mart has risen to dominate the retail market through the bargain prices it offers to consumers. Due to its cost efficiencies, it has attained and the pressure it places on suppliers make it affordable to give customers products at low prices. As much as Wal-Mart offers low prices, not everyone loves it. It also has charges that criticize the retail behemoth. One, Wal-Mart’s buying power and cost-saving efficiencies force local rivals out of business, in turn disrupting local communities, costing jobs and injuring established business districts. Second, Wal-Mart pays low wages and is staunchly anti-union. Its labor cost is 20 percent lower than that of unioniz ed supermarkets. Moreover, its hard-line on costs has forced many factories to move overseas, resulting in sacrificing American jobs and thus, holds wages down. Government welfare program subsidizes Wal-Mart’s poverty level wages. One congressional report shows that a two hundred employee store costs the government a fortune that is: housing assistance, children healthcare, and tax credits are paid by the government. Lastly, as Wal-Mart grows and its competitors fall by the wayside, consumer’s choice narrows and the retail exert even greater power as a cultural censor. For instance; Wal-Mart won’t carry computer games and music with the mature rating. Therefore, the big music companies supply it with sanitized versions of explicit CDs that they supply to the radio stations, and that are sold elsewhere. The retailer has also removed racy magazines, such as FHM and Maxim, from its racks and it obscures the cover of Glamour, Cosmopolitan, and Redbook.

Research summary Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Research summary - Assignment Example The Australian Government makes unprecedented investment in the education sector; particular emphasis is laid on the improvement of the state of undergraduate education in the country and the technical training facilities. It makes investments in universities and other tertiary education channels with the aim of driving an overall comprehensive reform in the training sector in the economy and the post-compulsory education sector (Pritchett 367). This includes a two-fold step; short term injection of fund to the weak areas of the economy on one hand and on the other hand, building up on the strengths of the education sector in the economy. At present the education sector of Australia is strong enough to boost up the economic potential of the economy. The government is making a realistic plan for the next decade in order to ensure that current activities to reform the country’s higher education system makes it sustainable in the future. A description of the relevant economic mod el There is considerable debate regarding the effect of public expenditure on growth (Basu and Bhattarai, â€Å"Does Government Spending on Education Promote Growth and Schooling Returns?†). According to some scholars, there is mixed effect of positive public expenditure on the growth of an economy in the long run (Pritchett 371). Sylwester shows that in some countries the effect of government’s financial support on the contemporary higher education (under graduate studies and training) sector casts an impact on the growth of the economy depending on the level of education of the general population of the country (Sylwester 380). According to economic theory, growth is positively correlated to returns to higher education. Simultaneously, research shows that the higher the level of government education on education sector, the lower is the level of growth in the country compared to other countries with lower spending on education sector by government. In other words the countries with higher rates of growth reflect lower public spending on education sector. Regression analysis on time series data shows, government spending on education has positive effect on economic growth for the richer countries, but, for the poorer countries it can potentially hurt growth (Blankeau, Simpson and Tomljanovich 396). Studies show that the relationship existing between government spending on education and economic growth is negative for the countries with low share of higher education, while, for countries with high share of education, this relationship is positive (Basu and Bhattarai, â€Å"Does Government Spending on Education Promote Growth and Schooling Returns?†). This phenomenon suggests that a non linear and potentially U shaped relationship might be present between growth and public spending on education (Blankeau, Simpson and Tomljanovich 397). Australia is a developed nation and the per capita GDP in the country is US $ 43,300 (according to 2012 es timates) (â€Å"The World Fact book†). The level of growth in the economy shows a rising trend over the past two decades. Therefore, the level of

What Works (Position Paper) Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

What Works (Position ) - Research Paper Example 52). The Phoenix Youth and Family Services (PYFS) was reported to be a community development program which established the Comprehensive Community-Based Judicial Services program as a means to address the needs of delinquent youths (Harris, 2006). The organization established linkages with various government justice agencies to assist juvenile-offenders in re-entry efforts to the community. Among the features of their juvenile correctional programs include: pre-release connections, transition phase support, a simulated work environment with family involvement, education and training support, community service, life skills and support, and job placement assistance (Harris, 2006). The Youth Opportunity (YO) Boston Youth Offender Program was stipulated as a program that serves the need of high-risk youth offenders (Harris, 2006). The key features of the program include the following: the provision for intensive pre-release intervention in detention facilities, the deployment of YO infrastructure for intensive aftercare support, the application of a four-tiered transitional employment services model, as well as offering summer and winter jobs programs targeted to serious offenders (Harris, 2006). According to Alarid (2015), â€Å"in juvenile corrections success is measured by the future behaviors of the youth† (p. 315). As such, juvenile corrections programs which offers interventions that aim to develop knowledge and skills of juvenile offenders to make them productive citizens are deemed to be most effective. As such, from the three juvenile corrections programs that were selected above, the program that is believed to be the most effective and efficient is the program which focuses on providing educational or skills-development training, in conjunction with assisting in seeking employment opportunities. So far, the three programs provide training and assistance for juvenile offenders by preparing them for re-entry and

The Virgin and Child with Saint Anne by Da Vinci and the Virgin by Term Paper

The Virgin and Child with Saint Anne by Da Vinci and the Virgin by Roger van der Weyden - Term Paper Example The paper "The Virgin and Child with Saint Anne by Da Vinci and the Virgin by Roger van der Weyden" compares two paintings, The Virgin and Child with Saint Anne by Leonardo da Vinci and St. Luke Drawing the Virgin by Roger van der Weyden. The compare and contrast study of the works The Virgin and Child with Saint Anne by Leonardo da Vinci and St. Luke Drawing the Virgin by Roger van der Weyden prove that Leonardo da Vinci’s work is symbolic of the origin of Renaissance art and Roger van der Weyden’s work is symbolic of the growth and development of art. In this essay, the subject under discussion is divided into two: compare and contrast study (visual effect, content) and discussion (significant influences on the artists’ painting styles). One can easily identify that the work The Virgin and Child with Saint Anne is visually rich because the same deals with life. Joanne Mattern pointed out that, â€Å"The painting depicts the Virgin Mary, the baby Jesus, and Sai nt Anne†. The work is visually attractive because the same is interconnected with the events that can be seen in daily life. Comparing with Leonardo da Vinci’s work, the visual effect of the work St. Luke Drawing the Virgin by Roger van der Weyden is not much attractive, but the same deals with a Biblical theme. For instance, St. Luke’s presence in the painting is symbolic of religious significance, not motherly love. But in the painting The Virgin and Child with Saint Anne, St. Anne enjoys her grandchild’s playful attitude. ... On the other side, Roger van der Weyden selected religious iconography as the theme of his work and it influenced the visual effect of the same. Fred S. Kleiner stated that, â€Å"The panel depicts the patron saint of painters drawing the Virgin Mary using a silver point (a sharp stylus that creates a fine line)† (406). In the painting St. Luke Drawing the Virgin, both St. Anne and the Virgin Mary symbolize motherly love and affection toward humanity in general. In Leonardo da Vinci’s work, infant Jesus’ attitude towards the lamb is symbolic of the hardships to be suffered by him in future. So, Leonardo da Vinci’s work’s content is interconnected with the Holy Bible. Similar to Leonardo da Vinci’s work, Roger van der Weyden made use of Christianity as the theme, but he altered the content to a different level. For instance, Saint Luke’s presence in the work is symbolic of artistic creativity. On the other side, Virgin Mary and infant J esus are symbolic of Christian faith. So, one can easily identify that Roger van der Weyden’s work is an amalgamation of artistic creativity and Christian faith. B. Discussion: Leonardo da Vinci’s painting style is deeply influenced by his master Verrocchio. At the same time, his interest in sculpture and architecture influenced his painting style. Besides, his paintings are symbolic of the relationship between human beings and Mother Nature. Frank Zollner stated that, â€Å"Besides studies of the models usually found in artist’s workshops, Leonardo also made equally important studies from nature† (8). For instance, Leonardo da Vinci made use of the background of his works to portray nature. At the same time, the influence of science can be seen in his artworks. His works are

The Main Events in the Life of Prophet Muhammed Essay Example for Free

The Main Events in the Life of Prophet Muhammed Essay Outlining the Main Events in the Life of Prophet Muhammed (pbuh) and Assessing his Importance and Influence. Prophet Muhammed (pbuh) was born around 570. He was born in Mekkah in Arabia into the Quraishi tribe. He was born on the 12th Rabi-ul-Awwal to his mother Amina. His father Abdullah died in Yathrib before the Prophet (pbuh) was born. When Muhammed was six years old, his mother Amina fell ill and died. Muhammed (pbuh) was looked after by his grandfather Abd-ul-Muttalib for two years but when Muhammed was eight, Abd-ul-Muttalib also died. Abu Talib, Muhammed (pbuh)s uncle took care of him. Abu Talib was a wealthy. Powerful businessman. He took Muhammed (pbuh) on many of his business trips. One such trip was a journey to Syria when Muhammed (pbuh) was twelve years old. On this trip to Syria, Abu Talibs caravan passed the home of a Christian monk called Bahirah. Bahirah noticed that Muhammed (pbuh) had some features that matched the ones mentioned in the holy book Bahirah followed describing a prophet to come after Isa (Jesus). As Muhammed grew up, his honest character shone through the evils of Makkan society and he was given the title Al-Amin which means the trustworthy. Whilst working alongside his uncle as a businessman, Muhammed met Khadijah, daughter of Khuwaylid, a wealthy lady of noble birth with a well-known noble character. Khadijah asked Muhammed to marry her and he accepted. Muhammed was twenty-five at the time and Khadijah was forty years old. They were married for about twenty-five years before Khadijah died. In Ranadhan the year Muhammed was forty years old (about 610), Muhammed sat alone in Cave Hira in Mount Bur. An angel appeared and asked him to read. Like most Arabs of the time, Muhammed (pbuh) could not write, nor could he read, so he told the angel that he could not read. The angel squeezed him and asked him to read again, and again he told the angel that he could not read. This happened three times before the angel told him to Read in the name of your Lord and revealed to him the first verses of the Quran. That night was one of the last five odd nights in the month of Ramadhan, there is great blessing in this night, and it is called Lailatul Qadr, the night of power. After the incident in the cave, Muhammed returned home to Khadijah. He told her what happened. Knowing what a kind, loving man he was, Khadijah believed the revelation had been from one God, Allah. Khadijah became the first person to accept Islamic monotheism and become a Muslim. Before accepting Islam, Khadijah talked to her cousin, a Chritian named Waraqah. Waraqah told Muhammed that he was a messenger confirming what Bahirah had said. Muhammed (pbuh) preached to others who knew him well. Those who he spoke to accepted Islam, Ali, his cousin, Zaid, and Abu Bakr, his best friend were among them. In the first few years around fifty people from among his friends and family converted to Islam. In 615, the Muslims in Makkah were being persecuted so much that Muhammed (pbuh) advised them to leave Mekkah and migrate to Abyssinia where a Christian king called Negus ruled. In 619 the Makkans felt threatened by the growing number of Muslims. The Makkans boycotted them on a massive scale. No one was allowed to sell to Muslims, buy from Muslims or help them at all. During the boycott, Prophet Muhammed (pbuh)s uncle Abu Talib died so did his wife Khadijah. He lost the two people who supported him most. Though Abu Talib had dies, the protection Muhammed had from him was not lost. It was around this time that Prophet Muhammed (pbuh) experienced the Night Journey, Isra wal Miraj. In one night, he travelled from the Holy Mosque in Makkah to the Further Mosque in Jerusalem. He made this journey on a winged horse called Buraq. Buraq took him to the heavens where he spoke to Allah and brought down the commandment to pray. The message of Islam had spread 480km Makkah. A serious plot to assassinate Muhammed (pbuh) was put into action. The prophet and the Muslims in Makkah migrated to Yathrib (Madinah). On the 16th July 622 the Muslims left Makkah and went to Madinah on foot. The Madinans had visited Makkah and converted to Islam, they invited the prophet (pbuh) to be their leader. The emigration was called the Hijraj. The Muslim calendar starts from the Hijrah (AH). In Madinah the prophet ruled from a simple house. Now with Madinah as the first Islamic State the prophet taught the systems of Islam. The Makkans hated the Muslims even more now that they had Madinah as their state. Two important battles were fought. In 624 the Muslims fought at the Battle of Badr, 300 Muslims with 900 Makkans. The Muslims won despite the numbers. They also fought the Battle of Uhud that they lost. In 627 the Makkans attacked Madinah but the Muslims had dug a trench that protected the city. The Hudaybia agreement was drawn up, which allowed the Muslims to visit Makkah on pilgrimage. In 632, Muhammed delivered his farewell speech on mount Arafat after the Muslims conquered Makkah peacefully. The Prophet Muhammed (pbuh) died at the age of sixty-three. Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) was important in the Makkan society he lived in before he became a prophet. He was a fairly wealthy businessman. The family and tribe that he was born into were very powerful in Makkah. He himself was the grandson of Abd-al-Muttalib, one of the most powerful leaders of the Quraish tribe. For many years of his life, he was in the care of his uncle Abu Talib, an extremely wealthy businessman. Another of his uncles was Hamza, a great warrior. Many people were surprised when he did not harm the prophet but accepted Islam. As a businessman, prophet Muhammad (pbuh) was respected because everyone around him was corrupt, they cheated and lied in their trade whereas he remained honest and truthful. People trusted him so much that they gave him the title Al-Amin which means the trustworthy. He received his prophet hood around 610 CE. He was the last person to receive prophet hood or any kind of divine revelation. There will be no more prophets and no more revelation. He is important in Islam because prophet Muhammad (pbuh) is the Seal of the prophets. He was a messenger to mankind to call the people to Allahs way of life. He was and still is so important that announcing your belief in him is part of the Muslim declaration of faith (the Shahada). He is part of a Muslims belief. If you do not believe that Muhammad is the messenger of Allah then you are not a Muslim. Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) is also very important in Islam, as he was the last person to receive divine revelation. He was given the Quran by Allah through Angel Jibreel. Every word he received was carefully written down and preserved because it was so important that even if a few words were incorrect, it would ruin the beauty of the Quran given to prophet Muhammad (pbuh). Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) is one of the worlds most influential men of all time. While he was alive, he managed to change the polytheist Arabian society to one of monotheistic beliefs and values. He was able to change masses with his words. Many of the things he said, did, and consented to have been recorded in Hadith narrated by people in his world. People close to his like his wives and his companions and people he met once or twice. Both kinds of people in his life valued his word so much so that they would record it, keep it and pass it on to others. Hadith are still very influential even today. Prophet Muhammad (pbuh)s words are so important and influential that Muslims make important decisions in their lives today based on them. Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) was able to change people beliefs through his image set before he became a prophet. He was an honest, trustworthy man and people believed what he was saying to be the truth because they believed that Muhammad son of Abdullah wouldnt lie and they took him to be Muhammad, messenger of Allah. Today, people all over the world, speaking many different languages still respect prophet Muhammad (pbuh), because of his importance and influence when they say Peace be upon Him (pbuh) after mentioning his name. To conclude, prophet Muhammad (pbuh) was an extremely important and influential figure not just of his time. He also remains a prominent figure in history for being one of the world most influential people. He convinced masses in days and still holds a place in the hearts of millions one thousand four hundred and twenty-two years later.

Literature Review of the Industrial Wireless

Literature Review of the Industrial Wireless Industrial wireless infrastructure goes beyond a hand full of WSN in the field sending back information to a localised host system, the broader picture of a truly industrial wireless infrastructure envisages a system where the entire oil and gas facility is integrated wirelessly and all arms of the organisation can wirelessly access data from approved wireless devices from any location in the world. This provides a wireless platform for more efficient management, operation and maintenance of the oil and gas facility. This review focuses on WSN in the oil and gas industry, WSN resides in level zero of the ISA 95.01 hierarchy model. The oil and gas industry have utilised WSN for a number of years, up until the release of industry specific wireless technologies i.e. Wireless HART and ISA 100.11a, all of the oil and gas WSN install base were based on vendor proprietary technology, as a result there several operability issues with other vendors device and host systems [13]. Oil and gas facility operators and maintenance teams found themselves requiring multiple vendor devices and systems to meet the process application needs, resulting in high maintenance and operational costs defeating the purpose for having WSNs. The vast majority of the first generation WSN were based on basic office wireless technologies, as a result the first generation WSN where plagued with a number of issues namely; signal reliability, power usage, device processing capabilities, coverage area, suitability for use in hazardous areas, security and data latency issues. All these issues were a cause of major concern in the oil and gas industry towards the deployment of WSN. [14] Communication in the oil and gas industry demands the selected technology provides high availability, reliability, can coexistence with other networks on the plant, conform to an international standard, can operate in hazardous area, can transmit data in real time, is easily interoperable and is secure to outside intrusion and is cost effective [25]. All these requirements plus the ever changing RF environment and high levels electromagnetic noise from heavy duty machinery on an oil and gas facility has made it difficult over the years for WSN to prove successful and be considered the norm when considering communication technologies. The release of process industry specific WSN technologies like WirelessHART and ISA 100.11a, has significantly increased the interest in WSN in the oil and gas industry, it is estimated that investment in wireless infrastructure in the oil and gas industry will more than double from 1.2 million devices to over 3 million device between 2009 to 2015 [30]. With the advances in WSN technology, the potential of WSN to deliver a reduced CAPEX and OPEX cost savings, and possible health and safety and environmental benefits [25], is proving too attractive to be overlooked by oil and gas industry looking to reduce cost and improve plant safety. WSN are primarily based on the IEEE 802.15 family of technologies, which are designated as WPAN, WPAN typically consist of low data rates and a short coverage area [17]. WSN utilise a range of frequencies in the ISM band of frequencies i.e. 900 MHz, 2.4 GHz and 5.8 GHz, these frequencies propagate through office cubicles, drywall, wood and other materials found in homes and offices but tend to bounce of large object like steel and concrete. Due to the high density of steel structures in an oil and gas facility, the first generation of WSN where plague by signal echo or multi path fading , high levels of signal echo and multipath fading lead to transmissions been cancelled [14]. Some of the wireless technologies used in Industrial applications include; Bluetooth, ZigBee, WirelessHART, ISA 100.11a etc. IEEE 802.15.1 AKA Bluetooth is a short range radio technology which operates in 2.4 GHz ISM frequency band; it was first introduced by the telecom vendor Ericsson in 1994 as a wireless alternative for RS232 communication [18]. Bluetooth is relatively low-power, low-rate wireless network technology, intended for point-to-point communications [19]. Bluetooth operates with three different classes of devices namely Class 1 devices which have a range of about 100meters, class 2 devices which have a range of about 10 meters, and class 3 devices with a range of 1m [20]. Bluetooth operates based on the features of Adaptive Frequency Hopping (AFH) and Forward Error Correction (FEC), AFH detects the potential for channel interference and blacklists channels found to have interference, to handle temporary interference the scheme re-tries the blacklisted channels and if the interference is no longer present channel can be used [31]. For security and authentication purposes an acknowledgement is sent by the receiver to the transmitter before a connection can be made between devices, Bluetooth also uses FHSS which adds an inherent level of security, the hop sequence switches channels 1,600 times per second making capturing a single hop extremely difficult. Data transmitted using Bluetooth is encoded before transmission increasing the security of the transmission also password protection ensures only devices with identical passwords can participate on the network. Bluetooth also utilises a controlled device pairing process to determine which products can co mmunicate, making devices invincible so they cannot be discovered by other devices [22]. Bluetooth is limited to eight devices per network and also has a limitation on the packet sizes [21]. This limitation in the number of device per network makes the Bluetooth technology an impractical solution for WSN in the Oil and gas industry. Typically the quantity of nodes in an oil and gas application would be in the hundreds which would mean have several Bluetooth networks on the facility. ZigBee is based on the IEEE 802.15.4 and originally developed for home automation. It is a low-cost, low-power, short range, wireless, mesh network technology which operates in the 2.4 GHz ISM band and uses DSSS modulation. All nodes in a ZigBee network share the same channel and frequency hopping is not permitted, at start-up of a ZigBee network scans are carried to establish a channel with little or no interference, this channel is then used for its data transmission [23]. A ZigBee network is capable of supporting hundreds of devices, the network architecture can be star, tree or mesh topologies. The technology uses three different types of devices namely ZigBee end devices, ZigBee router and a ZigBee coordinator. ZigBee supports both non beacon and beacon enabled networks, non-beacon networks are allowed to transmit any time that the radio channel is open and idle. This creates a ‘free-for-all’ environment in which collisions occur regularly when two or more devices try to transmit at the same time. In this mode, the co-ordinator and routers must be active at all times, and so it is best suited to mains powered devices [24]. A beacon enabled network can transmit only in its designated time slot; this regulates transmissions making collisions less likely. All nodes in the network are expected to synchronize their on-board clocks to this frame. Each node is allocated a specific time-slot within this super-frame during which it, and only it, is allowed to transmit and receive its data [24]. ZigBee utilizes the security mechanisms defined by IEEE 802.15.4, it using counter with cipher block chaining message authentication code (CCM) and AES-128 encryption, giving the option to use encryption-only or integrity-only [23]. The technology permits the use of three keys namely Network key, Link key and Master key. To join the network the master key is required, for end-to-end data encryption the link key is required and provides the highest level of security, the network key is shared between all devices on the network and provides a lower level of security [23]. ZigBee networks offer no diversity in frequency since the whole network shares a single static channel, this makes the network highly susceptible to signal jamming. Frequency selective fading due to the high density of concrete and steel structures present in an oil and gas facility is also a major concern as this can stop all ZigBee communication. The use of a single static channel increases the chance of interference from other systems and increases delay as the network size grows. In non-beacon enabled networks collisions forces retransmissions and this increase latency time making the technology unsuitable for critical monitor or control applications [23]. ZigBee has existed for some time now and has been updated a number of times to improve features like reliability, latency and security which are of uttermost importance but ZigBee has still not been able to cope with the stringent requirements needed for reliable and secure data transmission on an oil and gas facility. Wireless HART is one of only two released open wireless technology specific for process measurement and control applications [25]. It is modelled on the OSI model with its physical layer bases on the IEEE 802.15.4 for low rate WPAN, it operates in the 2.4 GHz ISM frequency band. The application layer is based on the oil and gas industry wide accepted HART protocol. The technology was released in 2007, and was developed on a set of fundamental requirements namely: it must be easy to use and deploy, it should be a self- organising and self- healing network and it should be scalable, reliable and secure [23]. Wireless HART employs TDMA where all devices on the network are time synchronised and communicate in a prescheduled 10ms fixed time slot, this reduces data collision on the network and also reduces the power consumption of network devices [23]. The Wireless HART network is made up of different devices which include field devices, network gateways which include network and security managers. Field devices are organized in either mesh or star topology with the gateway acting as a bridge between the field device network and the host system [20]. Mechanisms like DSSS, FHSS, CSMA/CA, channel hopping, channel black listing are adopted by the technology to improve coexistence with other wireless networks in the environs. WirelessHART adopts two routing mechanisms to ensure data reliability and availability these routing mechanisms are called graph and source routing. During graph routing the network manager establishes the different routes which form the graph, each device on the network stores these routes and uses the predefined routes to identify the next device to forward data to during data transmission. During source routing a definitive list of the devices from the source device through to the destination which the data is to be routed is included the data packet header [20]. Graph routing gives the WirelessHART the ability to self-heal if predetermined routes on the graph is unavailable an alternate route can be taken. WirelessHART adopts a mandatory security requirement, both the sending device and receiving device uses counter with cipher block chaining message authentication code (CCM) together with AES-128 as the underlining encryption methods. Session keys, joint keys and network keys ar e generated by the security manager and network manager to prevent intrusion and attacks against the network [23]. WirelessHART since its release has proven to be a reliable technology, it is well researched in both the academic and industrial fields with reputable instrumentation suppliers investing heavily the production and continued research and development of devices operating on the technology. The features and capabilities of the technology are addressed in more detail in section 4.1 of this report. ISA100.11a is the second of the two open wireless technology’s specific for process measurement and control applications, ISA 100.11a is a Low data rate wireless mesh network technology operating in the 2.4 GHz ISM frequency band, it is modelled on the OSI model and adopts IEEE 802. 15.4 as its Physical layer. The technology was released in 2009 and is suitable for process applications where delays of up to 100ms can be tolerated [27]. ISA 100.11a technology aims to deliver Low energy consumption devices, easy scalable networks, interoperability with legacy infrastructure and applications, a secure and robust wireless network which is capable of coexisting with other wireless devices in the industrial work space [29]. An ISA-100.11a network is made up of non-routing and routing field devices, a system manager, a security manager, backbone routers and gateways. Non-routing devices are the field sensors / actuators, while routing devices could also act as field sensor/actuator or a router. Routing devices are important in the mesh network, data is transmitted from the source to the destination through a number of hops, with the routers responsible for routing the data to the right destination. They can also use alternative paths to improve reliability similar to WirelessHART network. Data packets are routed from one subnet over the backbone network to its destination, the backbone router is responsible for this routing function, the routing destination can be another subnet or the gateway. Thegatewayis the physical interface between the field network and the plant host network. The system manager is responsible for the administrative functions and communication configuration of the network [29]. ISA 100.11a supports frequency hopping and channel blacklisting, this eliminates faulty frequency bands and improves robustness against interference. The technology also uses DSSS modulation technique which divides the signal into small fragments and spreads it over the available frequency channels, this disguises the signal making it appear as noise to the other wireless technologies with in the range as a result overcoming interference and increasing communication reliability [28]. ISA.100.11a is a very robust technology, in addition to DSSS, the technology utilises three different diversity techniques, namely space diversity, frequency diversity and time diversity [28]. ISA100.11a utilises integrity checks and optional encryption to guarantee the security of the network, the technology also utilises AES-128 bits, message authentication and encryption codes. In addition to this a shared global key, a private symmetric key or certificate are required in order a for a sensor node to be permitted to join an ISA100.11a network [28]. The technology provides a synchronizing sampling mechanism, this mechanism provides reduction of reporting rates and transmissions can be configured to take place when the rate of change of the measured data exceeds a certain defined threshold. Adaptive transmission power control is also adopted by ISA 100.11a devices, this provides field devices the ability to dynamically select a transmit power level, thereby optimizing the power used by the device. Finally the routing capability of field devices can be turned on or off depending on the location of a device here by reducing the power demands of the device to suit the design requirements [28]. The application layer of ISA 100.11a is flexible and has tunnelling capabilities, this permits the user to maintain compatibility with oil and gas facility legacy protocols like Fieldbus Foundation, HART, Profibus, Modbus, and others [29]. ISA.100.11a adopts 6LoWPAN protocol for its network and transport layers, this offers interoperability with internet based hosts and sensor nodes in other WSN networks with IPv6 compatibility [20]. ISA 100.11a has proven to be a reliable WSN in the oil and gas industry, monitoring and alerting, asset management, predictive maintenance, condition monitoring are the application areas which have specific requirements and performance characteristics that can be covered by ISA.100.11a technology. ZigBee and Bluetooth are some of the technologies which have not really been accepted by the oil and gas industry as a means of wireless communication for process monitoring due to some shortfalls such as, ZigBee cannot provide the required QoS support for handling latency and message flow determinism required by industrial applications, ZigBee only utilizes DSSS hence its performance can easily degrade in case of continuous noise in the environs. Bluetooth on the other hand, isn’t sufficiently scalable to handle the vast number of measuring points on an oil and gas facility. However, WirelessHART and ISA100.11a technologies have been adopted for industrial applications due to their ability to deterministic data transmission, reliability, security, reduced data latency and low-cost features. WirelessHART does not support multiple protocols as ISA100.11a does, the transmission of HART messages are the only information specified and supported by WirelessHART while ISA 100.11a support most of the oil and gas legacy communication protocols like Foundation fieldbus, MODBUS, Profibus, HART etc. [28]. The extreme environments experienced on an oil and gas facility i.e. high temperatures, high level of EMI, large steel and concrete structures and constant movement of heavy machinery makes wireless communication highly unreliable in this environment. The release of industry specific technologies i.e. Wireless HART and ISA 100.11a has somewhat addressed the concerns over reliability, security, signal latency of a WSN, compliancy to the standards by wireless device vendors has also lead to operability across multiple vendor devices. Confidence has grown in the use of WSN since the release of industry specific technologies with a hand full of vendors and end users championing the way on WSN. The install base of WSN is continually increasing and this will aid the industry gain a better understand the technology. Till date majority of the install base are on purely monitoring only points due to latency concerns with WSN, further academic and industry based research is required in the use of WSN for fast acting closed loop control and safety critical applications with the aim resolving the latency issues associated with WSN.

Molecular Mechanisms of Membrane Fouling

Molecular Mechanisms of Membrane Fouling The membrane fouling problem is still the main obstacle that faces the application of membrane technology at the industrial and environmental application. So, the main motivation for this work is to develop an enhanced performance of commercial desalination membranes with polyamide barrier layer. In this study, we will use Layer-by-Layer (LbL) modification with tailored macromolecular surface modifiers in order to coat the membranes so that stable zwitterionic surface properties (for reduced fouling) and minimal loss in permeability are achieved. In order to study in detail this novel modification, we will use a model oligoamide system on surfaces which allow using analytical methods which cannot be used on real membranes. The deposition conditions for model surface preparation, the composition of tailored zwitterionic/cationic copolymers used for LbL modification as well as the LbL modification conditions will be optimized. The characterization tools are x-ray photoelectron spectros copy (XPS; also known as electron spectroscopy for chemical analysis, ESCA) for determination the elemental composition of the deposited layer while scanning electron microscopy (SEM) is used to show the topography of the formed layers. Ellipsometry can be a useful tool in identification the thickness of the deposited layers at nano-scale. In addition, the surface plasmon resonance (SPR) will be used for testing the protein resistance of the deposited layers. Other physical and chemical properties will be detected such as the wettability of the layers using contact angle measurement, and the kind of surface charge and their quantity via zetapotential measurements. After model investigation steps, the same LbL sequence (with the optimum conditions) will be applied for a selected range of commercial nanofiltration (NF) and reverse osmosis (RO) membranes with polyamide barrier layers. The permeability and salt rejection will be measured using dead-end and cross flow mode. The formation potential of biofilm will be also detected. Keywords: Desalination, Fouling, LbL, Protein resistance and Oligoamide. A major problem in the membrane technology for purification applications is membrane fouling, which is the accumulation and adherence of colloidal organic matter [1,2] inorganic salts (scaling), or bacteria that form biofilms (biofouling) [3]. Engineering strategies for mitigating fouling depend on the accurate characterization of the fouling mechanism on reverse osmosis (RO) and nanofiltration (NF) membranes using flux decline measurements [4] or studies of the physicochemical properties of the membranes, such as hydrophobicity, charge density, surface roughness, and porosity [5]. An extensive research has been devoted to understand the molecular mechanisms of fouling using a variety of techniques. For example, atomic force microscopy (AFM) was used to relate the surface chemical character to protein adsorptions or organic fouling intermolecular forces [6] , adsorption of proteins and detergents to surfaces, measured by SPR, was correlated with surface wettability [7], quartz crystal microbalances were used to study organic fouling mechanisms [8] and novel fluorimetric assays were used to characterize protein adsorption [9]. Recently, the effects of surface-exposed chemical groups on scaling were assessed by surface pressure–area (Langmuir) isotherm measurements [10] where aromatic polyamide films are an integral component of RONF membranes and they cannot be isolated from their supports for physicochemical studies. In addition, the supporting porous polymer layer prevents incorporation of polyamide into analytical devices and interferes with measurements. But this problem can be simplified by modeling RONF membranes using surfaces with well-defined and homogeneous chemistry. There is a history for using model compounds of polyamide from twenty century that model polyamide. One of these studies is using a benzanilide derivatives, to test the resistivity toward active chlorine [11]. But, there was unsuitability for the surface adsorption studies for these small compounds. In addition to the above mentioned fact, trials were done to prepare analytical sensors using spin-coating techniques that obtained different surface chemistry from that obtained from polyamide RO membranes [12]. So applying the LbL method, which typically involves the alternating adsorption of polycations and polyanions, with water rinsing between each adsorption, will help in adsorption of polymer layer on any substrate (silicon or gold wafers for example) [13]. In recent study done by Wang et al [14], they prepared low-pressure water softening hollow fiber membranes by polyelectrolyte deposition with two bilayers. Where they used PES UF as supporting layer which modified with the polycation and polyanion LbL deposition to separate the divalent ions from monovalent ions. Another work carried out by Zhao et al [15] in which zwitterionic hydrogel thin films anchored as antifouling surface layers of polyethersulfone ultrafiltration membranes via reactive copolymer additive. The main advantage of these hydrogels are their excellent durability in long term tests and hemocompatability. In another work, the Polyelectrolyte multilayers as anti-adhesive membrane coatings for virus concentration and recovery. In our suggested modelling work to develop an oligoamide coating system as a surface mimetic for the polyamide barrier of the commercial desalination membranes, there is a need to neglect the effect of supporting layer so we choosed silicon and gold wafers which does not exhibit any selectivity by itself, the separation function for the composite membrane can be exclusively ascribed to the deposited polyelectrolyte multilayer [17] which will give the accurate modeling data for the surface that will be used in our work . And , learning from previous works, we decided to make model studies to identify the best system with respect to well-defined and stable building units of synthesized nanolayers. These nanolayers will be optimized in terms of the number and thickness of building units, the concentration of the used zwitter ionic copolymers, charge polarity and density, roughness and swelling can be determined via various techniques while these parameters can be easily controlled by varying polyelectrolyte types or/and other deposition conditions [18]. Finally,The fouling resistivity of the model system will be followed via surface plasmon resonance (SPR) measurements using bovine serum albumin as model foulants. Additional foulants may be also used. 2. Experimental Part 2.1. Materials and Chemicals Commercial reverse osmosis (RO) and nanofiltration (NF) membranes. Polystyrene sulfonic acid. bovine serum albumin (BSA), sodium chloride (NaCl), humic acid (HA). Silicon / Gold wafers/quartz. m-phenylene diamine(mPD), dimethyl formamide (DMF), triethyl amine (ET3N), trimesoyl chloride (TMC), dichloromethane (DCM), Cysteamine and Ethanol. Cuprous chloride (CuCl2), Tetrahydro furan(THF), Methanol (MeOH), 10 nm titanium nanoparticles and 30 nm gold nanoparticles. Some chemicals will be added according to the applied procedures and optimization processes. 2.2. Synthesis of the Support Substrate and the Zwitterionic Polymer 2.2.1. Synthesis of the Zwitterionic/Cationicpoly (2-(N,N,N-trimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate)-co-(2-(N,N-dimethylamino-N-propanesulfonate)ethylmethacrylate) PTMAEMA-co-PSPE (cationic building block for LbL modification) The LbL method, which typically involves the alternating adsorption of poly-cations and poly-anions, with water rinsing between each adsorption. So, here in this work we will synthesize the zwitterionic polymer starting with free radical polymerization step of (N,N-dimethylamino-N-propanesulfonate) ethyl methacrylate (DMAEMA). The obtained polymer then undergoes partial conversion to zwitterionic side groups in presence of THF. And at last step, methylation of quaternization side groups to get the desired zwitterionic polymer. 2.2.2. In-situ Synthesis of Oligoamide According to Kasher 2011 [19] (model studies) Oligoamide is synthesized according to Kasher et al. 2011 applying LbL methodology. In this work we will make preparation of the gold surfaces with an oligoamide layer that resembles the surface chemistry of RO/NF aromatic polyamide films and that can be tested in fouling and adsorption studies using a wide range of physical methods. The synthesis protocol can be ascribed as follow (steps starting from 1 to 4 represents one cycle that can be repeted): Surface cleaned gold coated silicon wafers will immersed in 1 mM cysteamine/ethanol for 24 hours then in 2) 1% triethylamine/dimethylformamide (ET3/DMF). Immersion in trimesoyl chloride/dichloromethane (TMC/DCM), ET3N for 15 minute. Then in mPD/DMF for 15 minute and then washing with water for 10 minute. 2.2.3. Studies with the Model Surfaces 2.2.3.1. Coating and Characterization the Synthesized Oligoamide with the Synthesized Zwitterionic Polymer Applying LbL Methodology. Coating the synthesized oligoamide with the synthesized zwitterionic copolymers. The formed thin films will be characterized using ellipsometry technique. Other characterization methods will be used such as FTIR, XPS and SEM. The reaction conditions will be also tested such as (type of anionic building block, coating conditions, thickness as function of anionic building unit plus the coating condition). Depending on the obtained characterization data, the number of layers will be optimized. The optimum conditions will be applied to modify the surfaces of commercial RO/NF membranes. Ellipsometry, which is a nondestructive and sensitive optical measuring method mostly used for the analysis of thin films, where here in our work we suggest using gold wafers as supporting substrate for this methods. Via these mechanistic technique we will optimize the number of applied layers on the model oligoamide layer. And, SPR will be used to measure the fouling resistivity of the model oligoamide la yer. 2.2.3.2. Evaluation of the Synthesized Oligoamide System Two strategies will be used to evaluate the synthsized system, first one is depending on the characters that gathered from the different characterization techniques. While, The second strategy is by doing a complete assessment the antifouling properties of the synthetic moeites via: Flux measurements via dead-end mode and cross flow mode. Measuring MWCO of the synthetic moites via GPC (Gel permeation chromatography) Rejection of some organic pollutants such as BSA (bovine serum albumin) 2.3.3. Modification and Evaluation the Commercial NF/RO Membranes Based on the best characters that grasped from the above sections, the best condition will be used for modification of some commercial NF/RO membranes using the synthetic zwitterionic polymer applying LbL assembly. The modified membranes will be characterized as mentioned in the above sections. The evaluation also will be done as mentioned. This work mainly aims to fulfill the following SIX goals Synthesize model surfaces for desalination membranes (oligoamide system) on silicon or gold substrates Synthesize novel cationic and zwitterionic copolymers as building block for layer-by-layer (LbL) modification Study in detail LbL modification on model surfaces (layer thickness and stability as function of novel building blocks, respective anionic building block and coating conditions) with focus on nanoscale analysis with ellipsometry Study in detail the resulting surface and anti-fouling properties, with focus on contact angle, zetapotential and foulant deposition measured with surface plasmon resonance Transfer the best modifications to commercial membranes with polyamide barrier layer Evaluate the performance of those modified membranes vs. state-of-the-art with focus on permeability, salt rejection and long-term fouling behavior. Benefits that will be expected from this work can be summarized as follow: Increasing the fouling tolerance of the commercial membranes increasing the life time of applied membranes in addition to low maintenance periods. transfere the gained experiences to the National Research Center to help in establishing the membrane technology as a successful technology in many applicable fields.

Transcending Herbert Marcuse on Alienation, Art and the Humanities Essa

Transcending Herbert Marcuse on Alienation, Art and the Humanities (1) ABSTRACT: This paper discusses how higher education can help us in accomplishing our humanization. It looks at the critical educational theory of Herbert Marcuse, and examines his notion of the dis-alienating power of the aesthetic imagination. In his view, aesthetic education can become the foundation of a re-humanizing critical theory. I question the epistemological underpinnings of Marcuse's educational philosophy and suggest an alternative intellectual framework for interpreting and releasing the emancipatory power of education. "Truth is ugly. We possess art lest we perish of the truth." Friedrich Nietzsche, The Will to Power #822 What is the relationship of truth to beauty, learning to art, political education to human flourishing? Philosophers from Confucius and Aristotle to John Dewey and Paulo Freire have investigated, as the axial human problem, how education is to help us in accomplishing our own humanization. The contemporary search for a genuinely critical theory and an authentically democratic society continues that project. But what can make theory critical, education liberating, society democratic? It is necessary to theorize our society critically if we are to have a vehicle for correctly informed transformative practice. The problem is that much of what is called critical theory today is rooted in ideas developed by Herbert Marcuse, Max Horkheimer, Theodor W. Adorno, and Georg Lukacs. What I want to argue here is that their work has tended to formulate a particular approach to aesthetic educationand a unique version of a philosophical humanismwhich is then presented as critical theoryagainst the debilitating fragmentation ... ...88); Jurgen Habermas, "Von Lukacs zu Adorno: Rationalisierung als Verdinglichung," in Theorie des kommunikativen HandelnsBand I (Fft: Suhrkamp, 1981). (4) Karl Marx, Das Kapital(Stuttgart: Alfred Kroener Verlag, 1965) p. 52. (5) Aeron Haynie, Imperialism and the Construction of Femininity in Mid-Victorian Fiction(Gainesville: University of Florida, Ph.D. dissertation, 1994). (6) Martin Heidegger in Marcuse's notes to seminar, "Heidegger, Einfuhrung in das akademische Studium. Sommer 1929" Herbert Marcuse Archiv of the Stadt- und Universit. tsbibliothek, Frankfurt, Catalog # 0013.01, p. 6. Works Cited 1941 RR Reason and Revolution, Hegel and the Rise of Social Theory (Boston:Beacon, 1960). 1972 CR Counterrevolution and Revolt (Boston: Beacon, 1972). 1978 AD The Aesthetic Dimension, Toward a Critique of Marxist Aesthetics (Boston: Beacon, 1978).

Peer Pressures of High School :: Peer Pressure Essays

Glaring down at the reddish glow coming from the tip of the cigarette, I found out that I was in a peer pressure situation. Peer Pressure can be a huge problem for some young adults. It can sometimes be positive, but most of the time it ¡Ã‚ ¯s negative and destructive. Smoking is just one of the peer pressures someone can go through. Alcohol and staying out late can also be huge peer pressures in high school. I know this because I have experienced them for myself. Drinking, smoking and staying out late were constant peer pressures throughout my high school career. Looking down at the cigarette and being encouraged by my friend to take a hit off of it, I knew that smoking was not something I wanted to do at that time in my life. Although smoking wasn ¡Ã‚ ¯t a huge peer pressure for me, it can be for others. Some of my friends did give into the pressure and are now addicted to cigarettes, and wish they hadn ¡Ã‚ ¯t give in to that peer pressure in high school. I would have say th at during high school, smoking was the most persistent peer pressure. It was at every party and gathering. Although it was there all the time sometimes alcohol would  ¡Ã‚ °rear its ugly head ¡Ã‚ ± at some of the parties. Drinking was probably the most dangerous peer pressure. It was extremely illegal for an underage adult to be caught drinking during this time. I never experienced this peer pressure during high school because I didn ¡Ã‚ ¯t hang around those types of people during that time. They were the types of people who didn ¡Ã‚ ¯t think it was a  ¡Ã‚ °party ¡Ã‚ ± unless there was alcohol involved. I have seen drinking totally deteriorate people, because it got the best of them. Some of my friends totally changed after they started drinking. At first it was just a social thing to do at parties, but then lead on to drinking during their  ¡Ã‚ °spare time ¡Ã‚ ±. It affected their grades and their overall behavior. I do think this was the most dangerous peer pressure in high school, but there was always the pressure to stay out late. Staying out late was a peer pressure I gave into on several occasions during high school. I know it affected my grades many times, and also made me late for school more than once. In high school you could always spot the students who stayed out late.

Repairing the Problem with Americas Transportation System Essay

Repairing the Problem with America's Transportation System   There is a serious problem with our nation's roads and highways.   I find myself repeatedly avoiding trips to the city for this very reason, as I'm sure many others do as well.   This nerve-wracking congestion is even beginning to find its way into the suburbs and surrounding areas of large cities.   It is a  Ã‚   serious problem that affects everyone who owns an automobile, as well as, businesses that are dependent on reliable and convenient transportation.   To top it all off, this problem is getting worse every year.   The population of this nation is growing, which translates to an increase in cars on the road.   More people are moving to cities and the suburbs that surround them, creating gridlocks everywhere.   No matter what any politician in Washington or employee of the Federal Highway Administration may say, there is a serious and immediate problem with our nation's transportation systems.   The Texas Transportation Institute has recently done several studies that have produced some very alarming results.   For example, the average American spends approximately 26 hours a year stuck in traffic.   Let?s think about that.   The ?average? American spends this long cruising at five miles per hour and cursing at other cars around.   By saying average, the study means this figure also takes into account people living in rural areas who spend maybe one hour a year stuck in traffic.   That means for the majority of us, in the Phoenix area and other large cities, we spend 3 or 4 times more wasting our valuable time in traffic.   For people who drive into the city   everyday for work, it might even be worse (Fay 3).   Now that?s a lot of time if you ask me. To make matters worse... ...ve. Works Cited Fay, William D. & Slater, Rodney E.   ?Q: Should gasoline taxes be used exclusively for  Ã‚   highways Insight on the News   May 26, 1997: 24. Henderson, Rick. ?An end to highway robbery Reason August-Sep 1996: 12. Peratta, Ed.   ?Despite bumps in the road, privatization races on.?   American and City and   County Oct 1995: 50. Peters, Eric.   ?Privatization: the Road Ahead   Consumers? Research Magazine   Dec   1995: 10. Roth, Gabriel.   ?How to Solve our Highway Problems.?   Consumers? Research Magazine  Ã‚   June 1997: 10. Samuel, Peter.   ?The case for privatizing America?s highways.?   USA Today Jan 1997:  Ã‚   60. Voinovich, George V. ?Federal highway spending needs to be road less traveled.? Insight  Ã‚   on the News Jan 6, 1997: 29. West, Jim.   ?Different Views of Gasoline Taxes.?   The Oil and Gas Journal   August 14,   1995: 9.   

An analysis of the opening of Nosferatu by F.W. Murnau Essay

Within the horror genre of horror, vampires are particularly popular. During the silent horror films era there was another popular genre, the western. While the western declined in popularity during the 1970’s, the horror film has sustained an audience for over 20 years. The reason for this is that things that are supernatural fascinate people and strangely people are attracted by the emotional effects of the horror films ability to shock, disgust and to repel. Some of the most popular films that feature vampires, both modern and old include – Nosferatu (1977) the earliest adaptation of â€Å"Dracula†, a novel written by Bram Stoker , in addition to this another film in the horror sector, is Van Helsing (2005), another film featuring the infamous Count Dracula. Vampires are so popular because of their characteristics and their supernatural powers. Count Dracula was created as a novel by a writer called Bram Stoker in 1897. At the time of its creation it didn’t spring up a lot of attention, when the movie came out more people were interested in it. Dracula has remained popular since, and many films have had him as a main antagonist or in some cases as a protagonist or used his name in the title to add additional effect to the movie. A lot of Nosferatus parts and bits were copied by modern titles. It is the second most used character in the film industry after Sherlock Holmes. Although vampires have been known and popular since medieval times, introducing Count Dracula into the genre brought real popularity to it and increased the interest in vampires. When it became popular in 1910s some people became very interested in the structure Bram Stoker wrote it and studied it at university therefore changing the novel into an academic novel. The full name of the film is Nosferatu , Eine symphony des Grauns (in English: Nosferatu a Symphony of Horror). It was made in 1922 and was directed by F.W. Murnau, who was born in 1888 and starring Max Schreck. Before the film was made, Bram Stokers widow, Florence Stoker refused to turn her husband’s novel into a film. That brought some trouble into the making of the movie as Murnau already started producing the film. He got past this problem by cunningly changing the name of the film to Nosferatu and changing Dracula to Count Orlock. The characters Jonathan Harker became Hutter and Van Helsing became Bulner. The setting was also changed from Victorian London to Bremen. Nosferatu was different to other films of the time. Most of the film was shot location in Eastern Europe therefore there was a sense of realism and expressionism in the film. When the film was released, Florence Stoker noticed the similarities and sued the movie. In July 1925, the German Court ordered all the prints of the film to be destroyed. However somehow the film survived the destruction and can be bought in today’s shops. Nosferatu is a silent movie. During the time it was filmed they didn’t have the technology to film a â€Å"talking movie†. Talking movies were only introduced in the late 1920s. There is a possibility that they wanted to keep it a silent film because people were used to them, in addition to this they might have kept it a silent movie to create a special atmosphere, kind of scary and eerie. A silent film is a film with no synchronised recorded sound, especially spoken dialogue. The idea of combining motion pictures is nearly as old as the film itself. The film Nosferatu is accompanied by classical music all the way through it. At the start of the film there is eerie music which is classical, it consists of string instruments that create an effect contrasting to the bright and happy scene. During the film the music continues and hasn’t got many changes to it but when Hutter leaves the Inn and is on his way to Count Orlock castle and crosses the bridge the music changes from a higher pitch of a steady violin into a heavier slower cello to change the atmosphere from a lighter and brighter into a darker and mysterious one. When the carriage speeds up at the end of their journey the music becomes more frantic and a harp joins in to show the action the action speeds up and becomes more intense. This also supports the supernatural effect by increasing the natural speed of music which the audience have never met and therefore making the audience more anxious. The acting in Nosferatu is completely different to acting in modern films as in modern films the actors do not need to exaggerate their actions as much. They are accompanied by both music and effects therefore their actions are easier to understand and are self-explanatory rendering the need to exaggerate useless unless it is a comedy in which the exaggeration is far more important. During the film there is a lot of exaggeration moments when the characters need to show what they mean, how they feel, without speaking. For example at the very start when Hutter mentions Count Orlock, everybody in the in stops what they are doing which shows that something has happened as the second before the inn was very busy and lively, now it has and died down. This shows the fear and scary atmosphere. Without the exaggeration of the characters we wouldn’t be able to see and understand what was happening. In addition to this the facial expressions of the characters really are exaggerated e.g. when Hutter wakes up you can see his face transforming from sleepy to very happy or when you see the reaction of the people when Hutter mentions the Count. â€Å"It was a strong face, with peculiar arched nostrils and high domed forehead. His eyebrows were massive. The mouth was fixed and rather cruel looking with sharp white teeth, which hung over his lip. For the rest, his ears were pale and at the top extremely pointed, the chin was broad and strong, the cheeks firm though thin†¦.†. This is a extract from Dracula by Bram Stoker. There isn’t much difference between the Dracula by Stoker and Count Orlock pictured by Murnau except that Count Orlock had a hunchback which gave him an aura of a freak, a deformed monster which further emphasized his horrific appearance. In addition to this Count Orlock was bald which made him a bit more scary then Dracula described by Stoker. The lighting in Nosferatu plays a very important part in setting the atmosphere of the film. It makes the setting in most of the scenes and has a climate to it. For example at the start of the film we are presented with a bright scene containing an old German Nordic building, which is well lit and bright on the left side, but a tree on the right cast a shadow on the inn and the carriage which symbolises a mysterious shadow on the events to come. Another example of the usage of the lightning is also an example of German expressionism, this is when Hutter looks out the window and you can see the valley coming down, in the background you can see the a very dark forest which casts a shadow on the bright scene and creates an eerie and mysterious atmosphere. The use of darkness is also very important in the creation of the atmosphere. For example when it start to get dark after Hutter looks out the window we can see that the animals start to flee, which suggests to the reader that they are scared of something which is yet to come in the darkness. Just as camera shots are framed to interpret a films narrative, so camera movement can direct an audiences attention to details or a particular viewpoint within a film. In the early days of films, scenes were shot with only one or two cameras on fixed tripods, so reality appeared in a rather two dimensional way. Now, directors commonly use multiple cameras so audiences can see the action from a range of prospective giving a more realistic, 3 dimensional experience. The camera effects in Nosferatu suit the technology that was available to filmmakers at the time Nosferatu was filmed. The film is filmed at a frame rate of 16 to 23 frames per second. The camera plays an important part in Nosferatu as most effects are created by the camera, for example when Hutter looks out the window he can see the valley coming down. This has an effect of something leaning over the events yet to come, also when the tree is move to the fore ground and the mountain is in the background tat also has the same effect as the valley coming down. In addition to this there is a long shot and there is a mountain in the background. The long shot gives the feeling of layers in the scene. Mise-en-scene is the most important part of Nosferatu. This is because the usage of the settings, props, costumes and makeup was very important for the silent movies as they had a message to get across (e.g. fear) without using dialogue, sound and very little music or none at all. For example at the very start of the movie the viewer is introduced with the title, its in bold letters, in a gothic style. The way its presented with the letter that look like blood is flowing down the screen, suggest that it is a horror film and gives a mysterious atmosphere. It also bring a suggestion that the film has German Expressionism in it. In addition when Hutter drops the book advising on vampires it bring him bad luck. The use of the prop there gives the viewer a sort of a feeling Hutter was stupid doing that and that the bad luck will catch up with him. The sense of weirdness in Nosferatu is also created when Hutter looks out the window and sees the valley coming down, the animals running away we can see a man running down the hill in a nightgown. This gives the audience a feeling of confusion and puts a weird atmosphere in and leaves the audience asking themselves what is going on? Also when he throws the book down it gives the audience a sense of ignorance and irony about Hutter. When Hutter crosses the bridge to get to Orlocks cast, the bridge is used as metaphor that if he crosses he cant come back and another bridge is put in to emphasize the metaphor. In my opinion mise en scene played a very important part in Nosferatu. Film directors and editors splice scenes together to form the most effective narrative for their films. Unused film footage of scenes and takes sometimes ends up as out takes. The cuts should help the continuity of a films storyline. The types of cuts directors insert can act as cues for audiences, helping them to pick up the storyline quicker. Some of these editing techniques include: Jump cut used to make the audience and montage to give a great deal of information in a brief period. The film Nosferatu is edited in a couple of ways. One of them is the usage of intertitles. Intertitles are special frames that show what the characters is saying and in result move the plot along and speed the action up a bit, which makes the reader more interested. Another technique that Nosferatu uses is moving from night to morning very quickly which also speeds up the action and keeps the audience interested. Many scenes with nature so its montage. In my opinion the film Nosferatu was a very good and interesting for the times it was made in but in the long run it cannot compete with new horror films that appeal to the new audiences. Also it doesn’t have the interesting parts of modern films and the case of it now having any sound puts some audiences off. By studying I have learnt quite a lot about the movie industry and its beginnings. For example when the 1st horror movie was made and how many problems it had. In addition to this I learnt about a lot the techniques used by directors in the films.

Computers in Modern Manufacturing

COMPUTERS IN MODERN MANUFCTURING INTRODUCTION: Computers play invaluable role in modern manufacturing. In fact, nearly all modern manufacturing support systems are implemented using computer systems through automation. It reduces manual work in manufacturing and production. Computer Integrated Manufacturing(CIM) is the terminology used to describe the complete automation of a manufacturing plant. CIM involves integrating the functions of designing products, production planning, operational control and business-related functions in one system that operates throughout the enterprise.All of the processes function under computer control. Digital information ties them altogether. The different computer controlled processes are as follows: -aided design , computer-aided manufacturing CAD/CAM: The heart of CIM is CAD/CAM. Computer-aided design(CAD) denotes the use of computer systems to support the product design function. Using CAD, it is possible to simulate in three dimensions the moveme nt of a part through a production process.Computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) denotes the use of computer systems to perform functions related to manufacturing engineering, such as process planning and numerical control(NC) part programming. Some computer systems perform both CAD and CAM, and so the term CAD/CAM is used to indicate the integration of the two into one system. CAD/CAM is concerned with the engineering functions in both design and manufacturing. The method of manufacturing a product is a direct function of its design.Through CAD/CAM technology, it is possible to establish a direct link between product design and manufacturing engineering. They have together overcome traditional NC shortcomings in expense, ease of use, and speed by enabling the design and manufacture of a part to be undertaken using the same data encoding system. CAD/CAM has also given the designer much more direct control over the manufacturing process. ADVANTAGES: CAD/CAM enables manufacturers to reduc e the costs of producing goods by minimizing the involvement of human operators.They enable manufacturers to make quick alterations to the product design and obtain instant results. Also there is no risk of human(repetitive) error. This finally results in lower operational costs, lower end product prices and increased profits for manufacturers. CAD/CAM systems also facilitate communication among those involved in design, manufacturing, and other processes. This is of particular importance when one firm contracts another to either design or produce a component.DISADVANTAGES: There are no means of comprehending real-world concepts in CAD systems, such as the nature of the object being designed or the function that object will serve. CAD systems function by their capacity to codify geometrical concepts. Thus the design process using CAD involves transferring a designer's idea into a formal geometrical model. Thus CAD cannot build the exact design as it is on the designer’s mind. Also, there are several limitations of CAM. Setting up of infrastructure to begin with is very expensive.CAM requires not only NC machine tools themselves but also an extensive software and hardware to develop the design models and convert them into manufacturing instructions. The output from the CAM software is usually a simple text file of G-code, sometimes many thousands of commands long, that is then transferred to a machine tool using a direct numerical control (DNC) program. CAM packages still cannot reason like a machinist. The field of computer-aided management is fraught with inconsistency.While all numerical controlled machine tools operate using G-code, there is no universally used standard for the code itself. CAD systems tend to store data in their own proprietary format, so it can often be a challenge to transfer data from CAD to CAM software. There are some problems with CIM also. Existing equipment and software may be incompatible with each other leading to expensiv e updates or replacements. Extensive programming may also be required to produce optimal schedules and part sequence.CAE: Computer Aided Engineering (CAE) systems are very useful systems for engineering area. Integrated or independent CAE systems are used by design engineers and specialists. Computer simulation is very significant tool for designers. The reason is to understand to the behaviour of the technical systems before their prototype production. Therefore many analytical programmes have been created in the last thirty years for engineering area. These programmes are entitled as Computer Aided Engineering (CAE).UTILISATION OF CAD/CAM SYSTEMS PRO/ENGINEER: Pro/ENGINEER is full parameter 3D graphic CAD/CAM system, determined mainly for general manufacture engineering and for automation of design engineering. With graphical system Pro/ENGINEER is able to create fully, unambiguous and accurately spaced model of solid body simply and quickly. CONCLUSION: Utilisation of CAD/CAM sys tems is highly effective because it enables to reduce the process development time and the introduction of a new product in the market in a large scale. Recent technical developments have fundamentally impacted the utility of CAD/CAM systems.For example, the everincreasing processing power of personal computers has given them viability as a vehicle for CAD/CAM application. Another important development is the establishment of a single CAD-CAM standard, so that different data packages can be exchanged without manufacturing and delivery delays.REFERENCES: 1. Groover, M. P. : Automation, Production Systems, and Computer-Integrated Manufacturing. USA, January 2000, Prentice Hall 2. Paper on Design for Engineering Unit # 6 Research and Development Annette Beattie August 10, 2006 3. www. wikipedia. com

The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas Essay Essay

The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas is a narrative novel written by John Boyne. This book was first published in 2006. This novel explores the adventures of Bruno, the son of a Nazi commandant, who meets a young Jewish boy called Shmuel at the concentration near his new house at Out-With. Nothing can stop the two becoming best friends, not even a barbed wire fence. The story is set in Germany during the Second World War. This essay explores how the themes (the effect of war on children and families, innocence of children and the cruelty and unfairness of discrimination) are conveyed through narrative techniques (setting, character and plot). The innocence of children is a theme that is frequently used throughout the novel. Character is a narrative technique utilised to convey this particular theme. Bruno and Shmuel are characters in the novel who convey the theme, the innocence of children. Bruno conveys this theme by not knowing the other side of the fence was a concentration camp, †Å"An opportunity to see what was really on the other side of the fence before he went back to Berlin.† Bruno also believes venturing to the other side of the fence is a sensible plan and a good way to finish of his stay at Out-With, â€Å"All in all, it seemed like a very sensible plan and a great way to say goodbye.† Shmuel also conveys this theme because he doesn’t realise his father has been killed by one of the Nazi’s, â€Å"Shmuel saw a chance to get someone to help him in the search for his papa.† Another example of this theme is when Bruno presumes there was a cafà © and a shop at the concentration camp, â€Å"He had thought there would be a shop in the centre, and maybe a small cafà ©.† Bruno also thought the girls and boys living in the concentration camp played tennis, football, skipping and hopscotch, â€Å"He thought that all the boys and girls who lived here would be in different groups, playing tennis or football, skipping and drawing out squares for hopscotch on the ground.† Cruelty and unfairness of discrimination is a theme broadly used throughout the novel. The various settings in the book convey this theme. When Bruno looks around the concentration camp he saw two different types of people: unhappy, crying Jews in their striped pyjamas and ha ppy, laughing, shouting soldiers in their uniforms, â€Å"In fact everywhere he look, all he could see was two different types of people: either happy, laughing, shouting soldiers in their uniforms or unhappy, crying people in their striped pyjamas.† When  Bruno and Gretel look out of Bruno’s window they saw a group of Jewish children emerge from a hut. These children were being order around and shouted at, â€Å"Emerging from a hut in the distance, a group of children huddled together and were being shouted at by a group of soldiers. The more they were shouted, the closer they huddled together.† The children were also unfairly mocked and jeered by the soldiers at the concentration camp, â€Å"One of the soldiers lunged towards them and they separated and seemed to do what he wanted them to do all along, which was to stand in a single line. When they did, the soldiers all started to laugh and applaud them.† The setting of Bruno’s house in Out-With conveys this theme. When Bruno wanted a tyre to build his swing he asks Lieutenant Kotler for one. Lieutenant Kotler impolitely orders Pavel (a Jewish waiter) to help Bruno find a tyre, â€Å"‘Hey, you!’ he shouted, then adding a word that Bru no did not understand. ‘Come over here, you-’ He said the word again, and something about the harsh sound of it made Bruno look away and feel ashamed to be part of this it all. Pavel came towards them and Kotler spoke to him insolently.† The effect of war on children and families is a theme often used throughout the story. The plot and the key events of the novel help convey the multiple themes in the novel. The effect of war has rendered Bruno’s mother to discard her health and take more medicinal sherries. Also it makes Bruno’s mother to have more afternoon naps and to be quieter during the day, â€Å"Mother kept very quiet during the day and was having an awful lot more of her afternoon naps, some of them not even in the afternoon but before lunch, and Bruno was worried for her health because he’d never known anyone need quite so many medicinal sherries.† Gretel had been effected by the war and decided not to play with dolls. She instead had put up maps of Europe where she put little pins into them and moved them every day after consulting the newspaper, â€Å" Gretel had decided that she didn’t like dolls anymor e and had put them all into four large bags and thrown them away. In their place she had hung up maps of Europe that father had given her, and every day she put little pins into them and moved the pins around constantly after consulting the daily newspaper.† In conclusion, the themes of the novel (the effect of war on children and families, the innocence of children and the cruelty and unfairness of discrimination) are conveyed through narrative techniques (character, plot and setting). The effect of war on children and families is  conveyed through the plot, while the innocence of children is conveyed through the characters of the novel. Finally, the cruelty and unfairness of discrimination is conveyed through the various settings of the novel.

Engagement Letter Essay

The memo verifies the agreement of the purpose of the engagement and the quality and constraints of the services the firm offers. Talbot Auditing Firm will review the financial statements of Apollo Shoes at the end of the year. Talbot auditing firm will review the accounts such as the operations records, retained earnings, and cash flow accounts. An audit’s goal is to form an opinion about the fairness of the accounting records in accordance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles. The audit will be performed according to auditing standards generally accepted in the United States. The firm will perform tests of the accounting records and other procedures essential in stating an opinion. If the opinion is not unqualified, the firm will give reasons. If the firm cannot complete the audit, they might not give out a report on the engagement. The firm will test the existence of inventory, and confirm receivables and payables and other assets and liabilities by letters to a few customers, creditors, and financial institutions. The auditor will ask for a letter of representation from the company’s attorney. The attorney might bill Apollo Shoes for replying to the query. When the firm concludes the audit, the firm may ask for written statements about the financial statements and other issues. The auditor will carry out the audit to know if the records are free of material misstatement. The auditor’s intention is to give reasonable, not absolute assurance. The auditor will not provide a thorough assessment of each transaction so a risk of material errors, fraud, and illegal acts might exist and go unnoticed by the auditor. The firm may terminate the services for nonpayment and consider the engagement completed upon a written request of termination even though the auditor fails to complete a report. Apollo Shoes will pay for extended time and out-of-pocket cost through date of termination. If you agree to the above conditions of this engagement, sign the letter at the bottom. Please return the signed letter and keep a copy for company records. Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter. Do not hesitate to contact me if you have questions.