Thursday, December 26, 2019

Global Health Challenges Of The United States - 963 Words

One global health challenge is the deficit in the amount of health professionals globally. Crisp and Chen (2014) acknowledge that the faltering amount of health professionals are being stressed by â€Å"demographic changes, epidemiologic shifts, and redistribution of the disability burden†. Worldwide, anyone is capable of suffering from global warming or diseases. Becoming a health professional requires knowledge of many ailments and diseases and in order to assess this information, they need to attend school. With how interconnected science and technology has become, health professionals are now traveling for the enterprise. Their patients are also traveling for medical treatment. Twenty-five percent of doctors in the United States are from overseas. Medical tourism to countries such as Thailand and Singapore are increasing at twenty percent per year. The education of a health professional varies from region to region. The schooling of most health professionals varies country to country. In the United States, it’s four years of university and then another four years of medical school. In the UK, the regimen is between five to six years of post-high school education. The number of doctors in the world is 9.2 million, nurses are 18.1 million. The US has 4% of the world’s doctors and 17% of the world’s nurses. Future projections estimate that by 2020, that there will be an insufficient amount of doctors and nurses and will get even worse by 2025. Countries such as India, China,Show MoreRelatedGlobal Health Policy Efforts Is The Right Of All Humans On The Planet Essay960 Words   |  4 PagesGlobal Health Policy Efforts The right of all humans on the planet is to have access to health, education, and environmental sustainability. In September of 2000, world leaders adopted the United Nations Millennium Declaration, which committed world leaders to eight millennium development goals that address poverty, hunger, disease, and lack of adequate shelter (Millennium Project, 2006). Centers around the world focus on global development in alignment with the Millennium Goals by improving healthRead MoreThe Effects Of Drug Vaccination On United States Citizens Essay1330 Words   |  6 Pagesvaccines have drastically increased longevity for United States citizens. Today, citizens live almost twice as long as they did a century ago. Lifespan is a rough indicator of a population’s overall health. This is possible because of the successful elimination of many formally lethal illnesses. In the United States, vaccinations have provided immunization from many health threats. However, new threatening illnes ses have emerged. United States health organizations collaborate with international entitiesRead MoreChallenges of International Relations966 Words   |  4 Pagesfirst. Are states obsolete? For almost four hundred years, the territorial state has been the primary player in world politics. To achieve state sovereignty has been the main goal of most nationalistic separatist movements. In some points of view, the territorial state is in very good health. It is still needed to provide military security, give people identity, raise taxes, and provide for the needy. Although, as global trends put pressure on nations for the transformation of politics, states becomeRead MoreClimate Change And National Security1295 Words   |  6 PagesTopic: Climate Change and National Security For centuries the United States Military has addressed the many challenges of national security, from fighting for the foundation of America in the Revolutionary war, to the containment of terrorism and Islamic extremism in recent years, but now global climate change presents a new and very different type of challenge to national security. The stability of the world’s climate that has enabled human civilizations to grow and flourish over the last five thousandRead MoreThe Four Major Threats to the Global Community and the Planet1332 Words   |  5 Pagesï » ¿Global Threats Introduction Mr. President, as I see it, there are four major threats to the global community and the planet that should be of immediate and utmost concern, and they are: a) Environmental challenges (global climate change and the environmental degradation that will result from the warming of the planet); b) Global Security / Terrorism (the unpredictable and undisciplined application of military power due to the changing nature of nations and states, e.g., terrorism, weapons of massRead MoreSchool Related Gender Based Violence1151 Words   |  5 PagesRecent developments: Each child has the privilege to education and the advantages it brings. In the developing world, a training can change a youngster s life and help to break the cycle of poverty. In recent decades, global development efforts have focused on enrolling all children in primary school. Today, the test is to guarantee that kids can stay in school and advantage from a quality education. A major barrier to the achievement of quality education is the existence of gender-based violenceRead MoreCause and Effect of Chronic Disease and Its Impact in the United States1186 Words   |  5 PagesCause and effect of chronic disease and its impact in the United States ********* **** Techniques 1 – Week 3 ****** ****** – Student ID: ******* Instructor: ******* ***** April 18, 2010 The United States is experiencing an unsustainable disease burden; 130 million people today suffer from chronic diseases, taking a tremendous toll on individuals, families, and communities. In addition to lives lost and quality of life lost, we are also a nation in crisis, an economic crisis. We spend overRead MoreThe Role Of A Manager For Any Capacity At A Business904 Words   |  4 Pages There are many challenges when playing the role of a manager in any capacity at a business. Managers need to be able to make informed decisions that can have financial or personnel impacts, they need to fully understand and implement all organizational policies, and they need to manage and drive employee performance. Managers are in a state of perpetual assessment. Performing these tasks in one country and one culture is challenging enough, but from an ethical point of view, there is a prettyRead MoreObesity : A Major Health Challenge1319 Words   |  6 Pagesis a major health challenge in the United States. The World Obesity Federation reports obesity has become a major growing health problem since infectious diseases and nutrient deficiencies began to fade in the first half of the 20th century (WOF, 2015, para 1). Obesity is one of the biggest challenges facing healthcare today. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention report more than one-third of adults in the United States are obese and childhood obesity is at 17 percent. Health informationRead MoreMariah Miller. Professor Fandel. Eng 105. 5 May 2017. Global1613 Words   |  7 PagesProfessor Fandel ENG 105 5 May 2017 Global Warming Spring is upon us and summer is fast approaching; the weather in Iowa is unpredictable as usual. A few weeks ago, it was unseasonably warm, for the sake of comfort I switched the heat off and the air conditioner on; not your typical April, or is it? Based on scientific research I believe the explanation for the bizarre weather patterns are caused by climate changes that are the result of global warming. What is global warming? It is when the earth s

Wednesday, December 18, 2019

`` Harrison Bergeron `` By Kurt Vonnegut - 1875 Words

The year 2081, and everybody was finally equal in every which way. Nobody was smarter than anybody else. Nobody was better looking than anybody else. Nobody was stronger or quicker than anybody else† (Vonnegut 864). In the futuristic short story, â€Å"Harrison Bergeron† written by Kurt Vonnegut Jr. illustrates a government implemented law of equality forced upon a society. Vonnegut a social commentator utilizes satirical events in the story to illustrate irrational thoughts and ideas from society. Satire is a special form of literature that seeks to expose foolish ideas and customs in a society. Satire does not lecture; instead, it exaggerates a part of society and lets the readers decide what to do about it, if anything. Most of the time,†¦show more content†¦The Slaughterhouse-Five was a satirical masterpiece claiming to be his greatest achievement. Satire is the use of humor, irony, exaggeration, or ridicule to expose and criticize people s stupidity or vice s, particularly in the context of contemporary politics and other topical issues the last of Vonnegut achievements was his novel Timequake and collection of essays A Man without a Country. He later died due to a fall on the steps of his home in New York on April 11, 2007. â€Å"Harrison Bergeron† is one of Vonnegut’s most significant stories. It was first published in The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction in 1961 and was later republished as part of the short-story collection Welcome to the Monkey House in1968 (Parr).Set in a dystopian America; it is often interpreted as a sweltering appraisal of strict governments. A dystopian setting often depicts characters that think technology and/or big government are trustworthy and will always protect them or save them. A dystopian society is also one that has lost ascetics of a culture, including art, music, drama, athletics, and/or creative expression. The settings in dystopian novels or stories are always bleak, oppres sive and offer no hope or individual freedoms for the masses. Individuals and even entire family units are sometimes distracted by technology, and they have sometimes fallen prey to a consumer mindset.

Tuesday, December 10, 2019

Its the most controversial case in modern America Essay Example For Students

Its the most controversial case in modern America Essay Jfkn history. Did Lee Harvey Oswald kill John Kennedy by himself, or did a conspiracy do it? And if a conspiracy did it, did the conspiracy include Oswald? If you are like most Americans, you believe that a conspiracy killed Kennedy. And if you are like most Americans, you have heard a vast number of bogus factoids about the case. Lee Harvey Oswald is at the center of the assassination, regardless of whether you consider him the lone gunman, a coconspirator who was also a patsy, or totally innocent. If you believe what the conspiracy books say the Warren Commission believed about the Single Bullet Theory, you would have to conclude the commissioners and staff of the commission were a bunch of fools. Conspiracy authors always show Connally seated directly in front of Kennedy, at the same height, and facing forward. The doctors who performed the autopsy, and the Warren Commission which had to reach conclusions based on the medical evidence, blundered in substantial ways. These blunders can be presented as evidence of some sinister conspiracy, rather than then result of haste and an excessive concern for the feelings of the Kennedy family. Those who argue the case for conspiracy in the JFK Assassination, frequently do so from the perspective that when JFK was killed, a great symbol of Progressive liberalism was snuffed out, and with his death, the hopes of revolutionary progressive reform in American society was snuffed out as well. Always, JFK is seen as one who would have been at home with the radicals of the late 1960s who marched against the war in Vietnam and demanded an end to the Cold War, and who argued for more action on social justice issues of civil rights and poverty.

Monday, December 2, 2019

The Lottery Analysis Essay Example For Students

The Lottery Analysis Essay The Lottery According to anthropologist, William A. Haviland, ritual is the means by which the social bonds of a group are reinforced and tensions relieved. Shirley Jacksons short story, The Lottery, vividly illustrates the ease with which the individual in societytolerates and even participates in acts that if undertaken singly would be considered reprehensible. The authors skillful use of setting, mood and foreshadowing, brings to life this story of an otherwise idyllic community who, to the last child, participate in an annual ritual of sacrifice. The Lottery begins in a setting that embodies light, warmth and community spirit. We will write a custom essay on The Lottery Analysis specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now All the citizens are gathered in the village square, complete with children playing as the adults observe the daily, mundane conventions of small talk and the teens grouped by sex, nervously observe each other. When the purpose of the gathering is revealed, the setting heightens the contrast of such an unusual event occurring in a traditional small town. The mood of the story at first seems almost festive. Then in small, but telling glimpses we are told that the men are smiling rather than laughing at the jokes, and the conversation among the bystanders turns to murmurs as the town official, Mr. Summers arrived in the square, carrying the black box. Then the good-natured folk keep their distance and Mr. Summers must ask for help.There seemed to be a resigned air among the citizens. The narrator recounts a partial history ofrituals involving the black box, complete with rumors of chants, recitals, stances, dim memories of the way the lottery used to be conducted. The reminiscing serves as a reminder to the villagers of the way things are and the way they have always been. The sheer weight of generations of villagers following the lottery tradition is felt. The mood of the people shifts from amicability, to false bravado, to relief and finally nervous release as they fulfill the obligation of stoning the victim. Even little Davy Hutchinson is handed a pebble to wield against his mother.

Wednesday, November 27, 2019

Formulating A Healthcare Policy Worksheet Example

Formulating A Healthcare Policy Worksheet Example Formulating A Healthcare Policy Worksheet – Coursework Example Adult and Childhood Obesity Affiliation Adult and Childhood Obesity Adult and childhood obesity is a major problem in the United States. The problem is most prevalent in children and teenagers. The number of obesity cases reported have increased significantly. To the nursing profession, the problem is important since the field is faced with problems to minimize the trends of the issue due to their effects on patients. The realization of the obesity was flagged as significant in 1980. However, regardless of the importance of the problem not much has been done to reverse the trend. In 2012, studies showed obesity cases tripled since 2008 (CDC, 2014). From the data it is clear the regulatory policies should be reversed or changed. The consumption of fast foods and supersized drinks and meals is the greatest cause of obesity (CDC, 2014). Laws created to minimize the consumption of these meals and drinks have not been effective. Consequently, more stern laws that curb the production of su ch diets to the consumer market should be developed. This is based the increased consumption of fast and supersized foods and drinks increase the obesity cases reported. As at 2012, 12.5% of children between the ages 2-19 are obese (CDC, 2014). The obesity problem has become a major problem in the society and medical field. In addition, the regulations put in place are not effective enough to reverse the trend. The goal of the study to find more objective solutions to the problem and reverse the trend. In addition, the problem should be addressed more intensely in children since obese children are more likely to be obese adults later in life. The most functional option to consider is to limit the production and supply of supersized foods and drinks, and fast foods. Government medical sites have recorded data on the issue. For instance, the CDC have cited data that show the prevalence of the problem since 2008. The state level of government should be directly involve with problem. Different states may put in place different strategies to curb the problem. ReferenceCenters of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). (2014). Childhood Obesity Facts. Retrieved from cdc.gov/healthyyouth/obesity/facts.htm

Saturday, November 23, 2019

The Bible Code essays

The Bible Code essays The Bible Code is a report of the discovery concerning certain codes hidden in the Bible that are able to foresee events. The code was first broken by an Israeli mathematician, Dr. Eliyahu Rips, and has been confirmed by famous mathematicians around the world. The three-thousand-year-old code foretells events that happened thousands of years after the Bible was written. It foresaw both Kennedy assassinations, the Oklahoma city bombing, the election of President Bill Clinton, everything from World War II to Watergate, from the Holocaust to Hiroshima, and from the Moon landing to the collision of a comet with Jupiter. In an extremely complicated procedure, Israeli Doctors Doron Witztum, Eliyahu Rips, and Yoav Rosenburg, were the first to search and analyze the Bible for secret codes that reveal the future by using equidistant letter sequences and statistical analysis. The Israeli researchers made careful examinations and developed a collection of hypothesis, a collections of maybes. Statistics provided the tools to test each and every one these maybes. A hypothesis in mathematics may be declared false by the presentation of a single example, which violates the hypothesis. The very first thing the researchers did when they started their investigations was to make observations. They grouped their observations and formulated a hypothesis. Then, they tested the hypothesis. For example, a very common idea in statistics is the concept of average. As a very simple proof we would declare false a value for an average height for people of 10 feet. We all know that an average height of 10 feet is definit ely not possible. Definitely, we can say that the concept of average participated in the analysis and conclusions when the Israeli researchers investigated the letter and word sequences they found in the Bible Code. Other statistical concepts that are easy to grasp a ...

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Analogy, Marginality and Action. Peter Singers Famine, Affluence, and Essay

Analogy, Marginality and Action. Peter Singers Famine, Affluence, and Morality Analysis - Essay Example In the fifth paragraph, Singer emphasized that helping starving people is a moral obligation by people, but granted that it does not sacrifice anything that is â€Å"comparably† important. For instance, if by donating a hundred dollars in a foundation that feeds starving children and families in Africa would cost the life of your child who also needs the money for her operation, then one will be spared of guilt by keeping the money for his child’s operation instead. In other words, if a person acknowledges he or she can feed a single family in Africa by donating his money allotted for a fancy smart phone, then his action is morally justifiable and is fulfillment of duty. Another important assumption in Singer’s essay follows that proximity and distance are also factors in extending our moral duties to our fellow humans despite the fact that other people around us are not feeling obliged to do so. He emphasized that numbers cannot be used as a plausible excuse for not helping other people who are badly in need because we acknowledge that by donating without considering other people’s interest can actually save a single life or two. Singer’s central premise in his essay is summed up as extending our help to people in dire need, despite our proximity and distance, without sacrificing something that is equally significant. His point was that our morality may somehow explain that it is our moral obligation as human beings living in the same earth to extend our help by not being selfish and materialistic, and not only a show of charitable work because as what he said, people who give to charities are praised, while those who do not are not condemned. In other words, helping starving children, for instance, can well be shown as voluntary and not obligatory. People who choose to buy clothes rather than donating to the children of Africa cannot justify their action because they act in that manner so as to look pleasant and not to prote ct themselves. The Analogy The last sentence of the fifth paragraph tells us an analogy about a drowning child in a pond and a person happens to witness the child drowning. Singer’s analogy fits perfectly with his main assumption that we ought to help other people in need, despite the inability of other people to see her situation, and without sacrificing something that is comparably significant. Simply saying, in that situation, our clothes do not bear more significance compared to a life that is at risk. In other words, we prevent what is bad (the possible death of the child in the pond) and promote what is good (saving the life of the child). ‘Level of Marginality’ In giving away something to the needy, Singer puts a specific, yet abstract limit as to the amount we are obliged to. He used the phrase â€Å"until we reach the level of marginality.† It is like a common version found in the Christian bible that a way to heaven is by abandoning all of oneâ⠂¬â„¢s properties and wealth and giving them after to the poor. Singer requires â€Å"reducing ourselves to the level of marginal utility† (par. 27). In the moderate version of his premise, he does not imply that people ought to live in a level of marginal utility such that their families are likely to suffer in the end, as well. What he

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Kierkegaard and Dewey Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

Kierkegaard and Dewey - Essay Example Dewey then gives an example of religion; how religion can have a lasting and deep impact on the course of a nations history. Religion or a certain set of ideas can control peoples feelings and beliefs, and that is not any less of a control than that of political oppression. Culture is also determines what elements of human nature dominate it, which have resulted in the belief that one aspect of human nature is the determining factor of human society. This is confusing the effect with the cause, as it is a societys culture that determines which aspect of human nature dominates according to Deweys argument. So the basic idea of Deweys first chapter is that if political freedom is to be maintained it is through culture and not through the individuals, as they are themselves motivated and to a degree "controlled" by culture. The exaggeration of one aspect of human nature as the sole motive behind human behavior is itself culture driven; this is well supported by historical facts. For every age gives rise to a motive of behavior that accords with its cultural needs. And the example Dewey gives is England during the industrial revolution; as the economic situation was intense it gave rise to the belief in a sole human motivator that is in harmony with this economical situation. 2- In chapter 2, Dewey discusses the differences that lie within the same society, how they might affect society and how they are not an objection to his theory of cultural domination over human behavior within society. In this chapter he concludes that: "No estimate of the effects of culture upon the elements that now make up freedom begins to be adequate that does not take into account the moral and religious splits that are found in our very make-up as persons. The problem of creation of genuine democracy cannot be successfully dealt with in theory or in practice save as we create intellectual and moral integration out of present disordered conditions." This perhaps sums up

Sunday, November 17, 2019

Race and Racial Group Essay Example for Free

Race and Racial Group Essay Search the Internet for groups and organizations promoting racial equality to help you complete this assignment. You may also refer to the Internet Resource Directory in Ch. 13 of Racial and Ethnic Groups. Using the information from the text and your web search: Identify one racial group from the list below:  · Hispanic American/Latino Write a 500- to 750-word paper from one of the perspectives below:  · A historian writing about the racial group in a book chapter  · A news reporter writing a newspaper article or blog entry about the racial group  · An individual member of the racial group, writing a personal letter to a friend who is not a member of that racial group Answer the following questions:  · What have been the experiences of this racial group throughout U. S. history?  · What have been the political, social, and cultural issues and concerns throughout American history?  · What legislation meant to constrain race within prejudicial boundaries was enacted? How did the various groups you researched fight this legislation? What legislation meant to alleviate prejudicial boundaries has been enacted? How did the various groups you researched promote this legislation? Assignment: Historical Report on Race Purpose of Assignment Students explore a variety of resources on racial equality and write a paper from a historical perspective relating to the experiences of a particular racial group in the United States. By understanding the history of experiences of various groups, students will be better prepared to connect historical experience to racial diversity today. Resource Required Internet Resource Directory in Ch. 13 of Racial and Ethnic Groups

Friday, November 15, 2019

Good Business Writing Essay -- Education Educating Write Essays

Good Business Writing As the discussion of good writing evolved in class, I began to wonder what made good business writing. I thought about the purpose in writing both within a particular company and between different companies and organizations. I decided that most writing in business is meant to be either informative, persuasive, or a combination of both. Whether informative or persuasive in nature, I have decided that most good business writing is very similar to other good writing. I have chosen to focus on three elements that contribute to good usage in business. They are: Simplicity Jargon for the target audience Grammar Some business writers mistakenly believe that by adopting a lofty tone and utilizing complex sentences containing numerous subordinate clauses along with multiple polysyllabic words, they will be taken more seriously. The previous sentence contrasts directly with George Orwell's advice to cut out words if possible. I think Orwell means the writer is to get rid of the excess, the fluff that fails to really communicate an idea or concept. Orwell seems to advocate simplicity. Simplicity does not dilute the author's intended message. Simplicity actually clarifies the author's meaning since it is direct and uses common English words. This type of writing is also efficient. Readers can easily understand the content and can move along to the next task. Since many employees in business today suffer from information overload, given the choice, most people will read a shorter document first. If a writer can communicate the information in either three or twelve pages equally well, it is to bett er use the more tightly written three-page version. While both documents may have equal merit, it is simply co... ...onventions. These conventions may vary slightly from business to business, but are basically the same across the United States. These devices include: The use of bullets to emphasize particular points Large amounts of white space Gender neutral language I have explored some of the elements I think are present in good business writing and result in good usage. Through this exploration, I see that there are other elements of good usage I could have examined, but chose not to. A variety of advice on writing is available, but there is not one definitive rule or even one handbook to which a writer must strictly adhere. There are guidelines a writer might consider, but ultimately, the writer must adapt his or her writing according to each writing situation. Rules are guidelines meant to be helpful. When rules cease to be helpful or become too dogmatic, disregard.

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

Developing countries Essay

In this essay I’m going to talk about this question. Since this is a very wide subject I could talk about only a single country or a single issue, but I will try to discuss about the whole aggregate. Some of the main points are starvation, education, child labor, safety and human rights. These issues are very different in developed and developing countries. I’m also going to tell why these things are happening and how they could be improved. Probably the most important issue is starvation; the result of a serious, or total, lack of nutrients needed for the maintenance of life. First of all it is one of the few words in the English language with no synonyms. It is a word that stands alone. It should be fixed first. â€Å"Why?† You might think. â€Å"Why starvation, not for example education.† This is because, what is the point of building schools if the kids die because of hunger? There is no point. Starvation is the most important issue of all the developing countries. Of course if a country does not have this problem, it will try to fix the next problem. The next problem depends on the seriousness of the issues. Starvation is also a part of a developed country. If a country has starvation it is a developing country. This is one answer to the big question. But, if a country does not suffer from starvation it doesn’t mean it cannot be a developing country. There are developing countries without starvation. Their problems are, education, human rights etc. Some children are not strong enough  to eat by themselves. The facts about starvation in today’s world are shocking; today, there are some 800 million people who do not have access to sufficient food to meet  their needs. Nearly 12 million children under five years old die each year because of malnutrition in developing countries of the world. The two main questions about starvation are: why is it happening and how could it be stopped. Well, there are lots of answers because all the developing countries are different. Some have wars and some bad climate but the common thing is: they all have problems. This causes starvation. One source that I found even said that governments have the money and the abilities to get food for all the people, but they will get a great control by not giving the people food. â€Å"Many diseases, foods and medicines are deliberately made to weaken and control people. Starvation, death and poverty, deliberately caused to billions of people will also give the powerful, greater control† I don’t believe this, but you never know. The solutions to the starvation are actually pretty simple. Developed countries could send food and other products. But this is not so easy since nothing is actually free. Of course developing countries could loan money but then they have debts to pay. How are they going to do that? In 1997 the foreign debts of developing countries were more than two trillion (million million) US dollars and still growing. The result is a debt of $400 for every man, woman and child in the developing world – where average income in the very poorest countries is less than a dollar a day. Another way is that the food among the people in the country could be shared equally to all the people. Rich people could give money to poor people. Good example of this is Bill Gates. He is the richest person in the world and is giving constantly food to charity. All these factors are solutions to the problem called, starvation. Education is another very important issue in developing countries. The more people getting educated, the more people solving problems. The wise man that said that was not Mark Twain, but me. Education is very difficult to get because books cost, schools have to be build, no one knows how to teach and families need kids to work and to get food for the family. If they go to school their parents might die of starvation. So these two problems are  linked. Another reason for so many girls not going to school is that they are pregnant and no longer allowed there. Education needs money but by only money it cannot be solved. There needs to be teachers who are willing to leave their homes and risk their health by moving to a developing country to teach. This is why there is so little education in developing countries. Education is very important to human future. People should get more educated. Education is really needed; there are about 132 million people today in developing countries that are not in school. But the fact is that you cannot just give the people computers and other technology. You need to help people to help themselves. This has been proved at several studies. For example one study was made when certain group of people in a University realized that people in developing countries don’t cook their food well enough. So they started importing high tech sun panel cookers to the country. This caused that people did not gather around the fire like usually. More people got killed by wild animals because the fire was not there to keep them away. All these things happened and it was because of too high technology. So the group was trying the quick way which does not work. Almost all the developing countries have a huge problem in human rights. This includes child labor and position of the women. Child labor is unfortunately very common in developing countries. Kids work all day and get really tired. If there would be good schools they would go to them instead of working. But what if the family will die because of hunger if the kid does not work? This links to starvation. All the problems are linked. The solution is that there should be help from better countries so that they won’t die of starvation, kids should go to school and when they grow up they would be educated and could get a job. So until every human in the country is educated and can earn the money to live for their family, the country needs help from rich people, wealthy countries, their own government etc. Public safety as a problem is not as big as starvation or education but, this is the problem that anyone can have. Even in developed country public safety can be very low. It is difficult to get because you can’t get it neither with money nor political power. There needs to be more police and laws, but that does not solve the whole problem. If a person wants to start killing people on the street and does not tell anyone, who can stop him? No matter how fast a police officer shoots him, the safety is bad. As a conclusion to â€Å"the big question† I could say that the definition of a â€Å"developed country† is in everyone’s own mind. The differences between developed and developing countries are for example starvation, human rights, public safety and education. All these except education are the basic needs of a person to survive. If person’s main needs are not satisfied that person is living in developed country. What comes to education, it is in between of a basic need and a luxury. A person can live without it, but with education he/she can go further and help their own country to develop.

Sunday, November 10, 2019

Backup/Restore Best Practices

A backup practice is the process of creating new copies of data which serve to restore the original important ones in an event of data loss. A best practice is a technique or methodology of achieving a certain objective, which through practice and experience, has reliably proven to generate the desired results. A redundant hardware is one in which the primary system is guarded from failures and errors by the provision of multiple components which are used interchangeably.This paper will therefore focus on some of the best backup practices in use and also determine whether a good backup strategy is better than a redundant hardware. A number of backup practices are employed to ensure a reliable way of recovering data some of which are elucidated below. Developing backup and restore plans and testing them is a major milestone in ensuring that all the stored data is secure. Planning on when, where, and how data is stored and backups performed is critical in quick recovery after a disaste r strikes (Amini, Peiris, & Khnaser, 2006).Training of personnel on backup and restore procedures can never be overlooked. Basically, this depends on the level of security of the network system in which such roles are assigned to members of the Administrator’s group for high security networks while for minimum and medium security situations, other staff members can be thoroughly trained. Both the storage devices such as tape drives and storage media such as tapes and disks should be highly secured so as to use them together with computer backups in case of data loss as long as one has administrative privileges for their access.One should always opt to create a backup log, print it and store it in order to assist in locating specific files if the drive or system fails (Amini, Peiris, & Khnaser, 2006). A good backup strategy is only reliable if the knowledge of data recovery is not held by only a single person since this can lead to trouble in case of breakdown of the IT system and the person is not available.According to Schonig & Geschwinde, if the people working with a system have redundant knowledge about how it works and what should be done in case of failure, it does not help no matter how redundant and reliable the IT system is (2002). A redundant hardware still does not save the situation in case of fire or any other disaster and especially if both the backup and the original data are all stored in the same location. In such as case everything ends up being destroyed in which case the data is lost and cannot be retrieved.Where only the most recent backup is available, something might go amiss in the system unnoticed resulting in errors and difficulties in data recovery. Therefore, a redundant hardware is greatly advantageous only if a good backup strategy is constantly adopted by ensuring that the best backup or restore practices are in place. References Amini, R. , Peiris, C. , & Khnaser, E. N. (2006). How to Cheat at Designing Security for a Win dows Server 2003 Network. Boston: Syngress. Schonig, H. , & Geschwinde, E. (2002). PostgreSQL develloper's handbook. St. Louis: Sams Publishing.

Friday, November 8, 2019

Free Essays on Parenting In Frankenstein And Ghosts

Parenting is an on going theme in all stories; it is the very thing that defines a character. Whether it is good, bad, or no parenting at all it remains an issue and is what shapes and builds a character through the transition from childhood to adulthood. Mary Shelley’s, Frankenstein and Henrik Ibsen’s, Ghosts, although share parenting as a theme, both have very distinct ways parenting is approached in each story. In Frankenstein there is a lack of good parenting from both mother and father. Although it is shown that Caroline, Victor’s mother, and Alphonse, Victor’s father are protective and caring parents it also shows the flaws of being too extreme. The Family is very open, close, and functional. Victor’s parents have created a fantasy world for him. A world where he can do no wrong and have what he desires. Caroline has the stronger relationship with Victor out of the parents. She is the one he turns too when needed and she seems to be the one who has the most influence in the decisions for Victor. For example when the Frankenstein family adopts Elizabeth without the consent of Alphonse. It is not till after Caroline does all that he becomes aware of the situation. It seems as if Alphonse has no other choice but to except the decision Caroline has made. This is also a perfect example on how Victor is raised in a fantasy world; the adoption of Elizabeth is a present to Victor. It is Caroline’s plan for the marriage of Victor and Elisabeth and it is not till her death that she reveals it to them. On her deathbed the fortitude and benignity of this best of women did not desert her. She joined the hands of Elizabeth and myself: my firmest hopes 3 of the future happiness were placed on the prospect of your union (Shelley, 49). Alphonse however has a weaker relationship. It is said that he was very caring also but nothing as far as being extreme. He was Honorable and well respected man who gave up his career to rai... Free Essays on Parenting In Frankenstein And Ghosts Free Essays on Parenting In Frankenstein And Ghosts Parenting is an on going theme in all stories; it is the very thing that defines a character. Whether it is good, bad, or no parenting at all it remains an issue and is what shapes and builds a character through the transition from childhood to adulthood. Mary Shelley’s, Frankenstein and Henrik Ibsen’s, Ghosts, although share parenting as a theme, both have very distinct ways parenting is approached in each story. In Frankenstein there is a lack of good parenting from both mother and father. Although it is shown that Caroline, Victor’s mother, and Alphonse, Victor’s father are protective and caring parents it also shows the flaws of being too extreme. The Family is very open, close, and functional. Victor’s parents have created a fantasy world for him. A world where he can do no wrong and have what he desires. Caroline has the stronger relationship with Victor out of the parents. She is the one he turns too when needed and she seems to be the one who has the most influence in the decisions for Victor. For example when the Frankenstein family adopts Elizabeth without the consent of Alphonse. It is not till after Caroline does all that he becomes aware of the situation. It seems as if Alphonse has no other choice but to except the decision Caroline has made. This is also a perfect example on how Victor is raised in a fantasy world; the adoption of Elizabeth is a present to Victor. It is Caroline’s plan for the marriage of Victor and Elisabeth and it is not till her death that she reveals it to them. On her deathbed the fortitude and benignity of this best of women did not desert her. She joined the hands of Elizabeth and myself: my firmest hopes 3 of the future happiness were placed on the prospect of your union (Shelley, 49). Alphonse however has a weaker relationship. It is said that he was very caring also but nothing as far as being extreme. He was Honorable and well respected man who gave up his career to rai...

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

Rosalind Franklin Discovered DNA Structure

Rosalind Franklin Discovered DNA Structure Rosalind Franklin is known for her role (largely unacknowledged during her lifetime) in discovering the helical structure of DNA, a discovery credited to Watson, Crick, and Wilkins- received a Nobel Prize for physiology and medicine in 1962.  Franklin might have been included in that prize, had she lived.  She was born on July 25, 1920, and died on April 16, 1958.  she was a biophysicist, physical chemist, and molecular biologist. Early Life Rosalind Franklin was born in London. Her family was well-off; her father worked as a banker with socialist leanings and taught at the Working Mens College. Her family was active in the public sphere. A paternal great-uncle was the first practicing Jew to serve in the British Cabinet. An aunt was involved with the womens suffrage movement and trade union organizing. Her parents were involved in resettling Jews from Europe. Studies Rosalind Franklin developed her interest in science at school, and by age 15 she decided to become a chemist. She had to overcome the opposition of her father, who did not want her to attend college or become a scientist; he preferred that she go into social work. She earned her Ph.D. in chemistry in 1945 at Cambridge. After graduating, Rosalind Franklin stayed and worked for a while at Cambridge and then took a job in the coal industry, applying her knowledge and skill to the structure of coal. She went from that position to Paris, where she worked with Jacques Mering and developed techniques in x-ray crystallography, a leading-edge technique to explore the structure of the atoms in molecules. Studying DNA Rosalind Franklin joined the scientists at the Medical Research Unit, Kings College when John Randall recruited her to work on the structure of DNA. DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) was originally discovered in 1898 by Johann Miescher, and it was known that it was a key to genetics. But it was not until the middle of the 20th century when scientific methods had developed to where the actual structure of the molecule could be discovered, and Rosalind Franklins work was key to that methodology. Rosalind Franklin worked on the DNA molecule from 1951 until 1953. Using x-ray crystallography, she took photographs of the B version of the molecule. A co-worker with whom Franklin did not have a good working relationship, Maurice H.F. Wilkins, showed Franklins photographs of DNA to James Watson- without Franklins permission. Watson and his research partner Francis Crick were working independently on the structure of DNA, and Watson realized that these photographs were the scientific evidence they needed to prove that the DNA molecule was a double-stranded helix. While Watson, in his account of the discovery of the structure of DNA, largely dismissed Franklins role in the discovery, Crick later admitted that Franklin had been only two steps away from the solution herself. Randall had decided that the lab would not work with DNA, and so by the time her paper was published, she had moved on to Birkbeck College and the study of the structure of the tobacco mosaic virus, and she showed the helix structure of the virus RNA. She worked at Birkbeck for John Desmond Bernal and with Aaron Klug, whose 1982 Nobel Prize was based in part on his work with Franklin. Cancer In 1956, Franklin discovered she had tumors in her abdomen. She continued to work while undergoing treatment for cancer. She was hospitalized at the end of 1957, returned to work in early 1958, but soon became unable to work. She died in April. Rosalind Franklin did not marry or have children; she conceived of her choice to go into science as giving up marriage and children. Legacy Watson, Crick, and Wilkins were awarded the Nobel Prize in physiology and medicine in 1962, four years after Franklin died. The Nobel Prize rules limit the number of people for an award to three and also limit the award to those who are still alive, so Franklin was not eligible for the Nobel. Nevertheless, many have thought that she deserved explicit mention in the award and that her key role in confirming the structure of DNA was overlooked because of her early death and the attitudes of the scientists of the time toward women scientists. Watsons book recounting his role in the discovery of DNA displays his dismissive attitude toward Rosy. Cricks description of Franklins role was less negative than Watsons, and Wilkins mentioned Franklin when he accepted the Nobel. Anne Sayre wrote a biography of Rosalind Franklin, responding to the lack of credit given to her and the descriptions of Franklin by Watson and others. The wife of another scientist at the laboratory and a friend of Franklin, Sayre describes the clash of personalities and the sexism that Franklin faced in her work. Aaron Klug used Franklins notebooks to show how close she had come to independently discovering the structure of DNA. In 2004, the Finch University of Health Sciences/The Chicago Medical School changed its name to the Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science to honor Franklins role in science and medicine. Career Highlights Fellowship, Cambridge, 1941-42: gas-phase chromatography, working with Ronald Norrish (Norrish won a 1967 Nobel in chemistry)British Coal Utilisation Research Association, 1942-46: studied physical structure of coal and graphiteLaboratoire Central des Services Chimiques de lEtat, Paris, 1947-1950: worked with x-ray crystallography, working with Jacques MeringMedical Research Unit, Kings College, London; Turner-Newall fellowship, 1950-1953: worked on the structure of DNABirkbeck College, 1953-1958; studied tobacco mosaic virus and RNA Education St. Pauls Girls School, London: one of the few schools for girls that included scientific studyNewnham College, Cambridge, 1938-1941, graduated 1941 in chemistryCambridge, Ph.D. in chemistry, 1945 Family Father: Ellis FranklinMother: Muriel Waley FranklinRosalind Franklin was one of four children, the only daughter Religious Heritage: Jewish, later became an agnostic Also known as:  Rosalind Elsie Franklin, Rosalind E. Franklin Key Writings by or About Rosalind Franklin Rosalind Franklin and Raymond G. Gosling [research student working with Franklin]. Article in Nature published April 25, 1953, with Franklins photograph of the B form of DNA. In the same issue as Watson and Cricks article announcing the double-helix structure of DNA.J. D. Bernal. Dr. Rosalind E. Franklin. Nature 182, 1958.James D. Watson. The Double Helix. 1968.Aaron Klug, Rosalind Franklin and the discovery of the structure of DNA. Nature 219, 1968.Robert Olby. The Path to the Double Helix. 1974.Anne Sayre. Rosalind Franklin and DNA. 1975.Brenda Maddox. Rosalind Franklin: The Dark Lady of DNA. 2002.

Sunday, November 3, 2019

Aspects of Alzheimers Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Aspects of Alzheimers - Essay Example According to the essay the other aspect is the issue of stress management; where one is required to balance their blood pressure due to the relationship between Alzheimer’s and high blood pressure. This is because; the stress hormone, cortisol conducts extensive damage in the memory cells of the brain. In this light, as one ages or develops illnesses, the body loses the natural ability to regulate cortisol levels in the blood. Therefore, it is crucial to learn how to balance stress to avoid memory loss and improve retention.This paper outlines that  regular exercise is vital to the prevention as in nursing, one is always busy tending to the needs of patients to the extent there is little time for oneself. This is terms of mental and physical exercise; where one should exercise twenty minutes daily to keep the brain active. All these, in the nursing profession, require an almost total overhaul on one’s lifestyle to keep up with a healthy body and avoid the risk of cont racting Alzheimer’s due to inactivity and poor diet this is all under the guise of a busy schedule and a demanding profession. The most interesting facts about Alzheimer’s in my opinion lie in the prevention of the said condition. This is because; prevention of the condition is based on a few tweaks to one’s lifestyle in order to keep the likelihood of the condition from occurring and living healthy.  Such tweaks in the lifestyle include maintaining a healthy diet as it influences one’s memory.     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  

Friday, November 1, 2019

Film Review Tootsie compared to course readingsconcepts Essay

Film Review Tootsie compared to course readingsconcepts - Essay Example During his work in the soap drama, he is attracted to his co-actress, Julie Nichols (Jessica Lange). Julie is in a complicated relationship with chauvinistic director, Ron Carlisle (Dabney Coleman) with whom she has a baby girl, borned out of the wedlock. Julie has told him once that she is receptive to men who approach her with a drink. Thus, when Micheal meets Julie at a party, he approaches her with a drink. To his surprise, she pours the drink on him. On an occasion after Julie decides to end the relationship with Ron, Micheal (as Dorothy) makes advances to console her by kissing her. Julie is shocked and misunderstands Dorothy to be a lesbian. She explains to "her" that she likes "her", but not the romantic way. To make things complicated, Dorothy has her admirers. They are John Van Horn (George Gaynes), Dorothy's co-actor in the soap drama and Julie's father Leslie 'Les' Nichols (Charles Durning). After Micheal knows about the existence of these admirers, he talks to his best friend who is also his roommate, Jeff and George Fields (Sydney Pollack) about his problems of being misunderstood. Soon, Micheal decides to resolve this situation by finding solutions to leave the cast. However, George is against her to leave the cast since there is an increase in her salary for her popularity. When the cast has to perform live one day, he reveals that he is the character's twin brother who replaces her to avenge her. This is kind of the best way for him to reveal himself in a graceful and responsible way. However, Julie is so shocked and angry that she punches him. After weeks of cooling period, Micheal looks for Julie outside the studio and confesses to Julie "I was a better man with you as a woman than I ever was with a woman as a man". She then forgives him. The reason why I want to analyze this film is that Tootsie reveals how the same person can actually display different personality and identity as a man and a woman. This person can therefore, be able to understand the different expectations set by the society for different genders at a work place and gives critical thoughts regarding gender identities. Specifically is Dustin Huffman's role, Michael Dorsey who is also acting as Dorothy Michaels. In the film, he also described that he became a better man after some experience as a woman. As a result, "Tootsie" is a strong film, which can help to understand the gendered identities from the same person, be it a man or a woman. Therefore, in this paper, we look at how women are frequently defined by appearance or by relationships with others, but men are more typically defined by activities, accomplishments, or positions. In addition is how communication plays a primary role in shaping our gendered identities, and how society defines masc ulinity and femininity. 2. How women are frequently defined by appearance or by relationships with others, but men are more typically defined by activities, accomplishments, or positions 2.1 Women are frequently defined by appearance or by relationships with others Women are frequently defined by appearance. This line can be evidenced from two scenes of the film. This first scene is when Micheal was trying clothes for

Wednesday, October 30, 2019

Close Reading about Poem Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Close Reading about Poem - Essay Example . The opening of the poem, â€Å"my heart aches, and a drowsy numbness pains† indicate that the mood of song is mellow (Keates Stanza 1 line 1). The author is trying to achieve the nightingale’s pure realm and escape from the troubles and darkness of the world through his drink. The nightingales’ voice sends him into a trance making him cheery and unable to focus on anything else. This is evident when he says, â€Å"Singest of summer in full-throated ease† (Keates Stanza 1 Line 10). His view of the world as a dark place is a product of his health problems and the fact that he became an orphan in his early teenage years and forced by circumstances to care for his sick brother. In as much as he is drunk, his tone is sober and enlightened. The nightingales’ songs turn his sorrow to joy and pain to pleasure. He imagines smelling flowers and drinking wine in the green country in the suns warmth and becoming one with the nightingale, â€Å"Fade far away, dissolve, and quite forget† (Stanza 3 line 1). This shows his longing of a lively, enjoyable world. He comes to his senses in the sixth stanza when the reality of his mortality hits him hard. He is attracted to the nightingales’ song and realizes that the bird is incapable of experiencing pain and comprehending the pain of death. To him the bird is immortal because many people transverse all generations and history have heard the nightingale sing. When the nightingale flies off, the speaker feels lonely and disappointed. He feels he lacks the freedom of the nightingales and yearns to come to such freedom and usefulness. Perhaps death is his release (Cunningham & Reich & Fichner 127). Finally, in understanding this poem it is noteworthy to mention that the poet composed this poem after the demise of his brother. The poem expresses the reality of the duality of human experiences using imagery and melancholy. The different

Monday, October 28, 2019

Kant vs. Kierkegaard Essay Example for Free

Kant vs. Kierkegaard Essay I also believe that the issue that I am discussing is deep, and therefore interesting. Its weaknesses would be its lack of quotes. The difficulty with this paper was trying to find the idea in the first place. It took me a lot of time to find deep similarities and differences between the two. It also took me some time to figure out how I would lay the essay out and how I would flesh the essay out. As this paper is not superficial, I found myself finding new ideas and problem as time passed. This gave me another problem as I always had to rethink and re-edit. The goals for my next paper are to include more quotes, as my papers lack evidence. My other goals are to carry on writing interesting and thought provoking papers. I aim to try to make my essays as clear as possible, as tackling deep issues can sometimes make the writing quite convoluted. Love of Duty vs. Love of Choice In their essays ‘Lectures on Ethics Friendship’ and ‘Works of Love – Thou Shalt Love Thy Neighbor’, respectively, Kant and Kierkegaard both appear as idealists: They each portray a utopia in which friendship is universal. Kant believes that perfection can be achieved if people put love of mankind before love of oneself, and Kierkegaard believes that perfection can be achieved if you love everyone as if they were your neighbor. Ironically, both also contradict themselves: Kant contradicts his other idea that one will never be able to achieve the ideal of friendship, where partners share everything with each other. While Kierkegaard contradicts himself by saying a true Christian is completely selfless. This is a contradiction, as someone who is selfless cannot have a choice (free will), but as rational humans we do have a choice. Given these parallels, are these two thinkers ultimately offering us the same sense of utopia? No – in fact, Kant is a realist who uses a scientific approach to figure out what it means to be a friend, whereas Kierkegaard is a religious thinker who applies his religious morality on people. Their utopias look very similar on the surface, but their underlying methods to reach them are vastly different. Both Kant and Kierkegaard come from two very different backgrounds. Kant was born in Prussia, and was interested in physics and mathematics. He didn’t have a positive view of religion was also asked to stop teaching Theology at the University of Konigsberg by the government as he allegedly ‘misrepresented’ the principles of Christianity. This shows that Kant was a thinker independent of religion. Kant believed that â€Å"mankind’s final coming of age,† was â€Å"the emancipation of the human consciousness from an immature state of ignorance and error. † This is the opposite of Kierkegaard, as he was a devout Christian. Kierkegaard tried to incorporate religion (Christian morality) with reason. This is where he comes up with his idea of ‘loving thy neighbor’. Whereas Kierkegaard comes from a position that his way is the ‘right’ way, as it was mandated from God, Kant comes from a position which is influenced by Rousseau and Aristotle, in fact Kant’s idea of man having self-love and love for humanity comes straight from Rousseau’s book ‘The Discourse on the Origin of Inequality’. There is also a deeper difference: Kierkegaard’s religious morality implies duty, whereas Kant’s view on friendship implies choice. Choice lies at the heart of Kant’s philosophy. He says that man has two basic instincts: self-love and love for humanity (pity). These two instincts conflict with each other and only one can win. Kant believes that in an ideal world, all people would put love for humanity before self-love. This would create a world where love is reciprocated, and therefore man does not have to worry about losing his happiness. In essence, Kant’s version of a utopia is where man chooses to love humanity. This is vastly different to Kierkegaard’s version, where man has no choice, as it is his moral duty to love everyone as if they were his neighbor. Kierkegaard does acknowledge Kant in a way, by distinguishing between earthly love and spiritual love. He says earthly love (Kant’s type of love) is the exact opposite of spiritual love. He argues that a ‘poet’ (Kant) is absolutely right in saying that earthly love cannot be commanded. Kierkegaard believes that Christian love is better as it is ‘completely selfless’. For Kierkegaard, â€Å"Christian love teaches love to all men, unconditionally all. Just as unconditionally and strongly as earthly love tends towards the idea of there being but one single object of love, equally unconditionally and strongly Christian love tends in the opposite direction. If a man with respect to Christian love wishes to make an exception in the case of one man whom he does not wish to love, then such love is not ‘also Christian love,’ but it is unconditionally not Christian love. † (41) Kierkegaard also believes that it is quite liberating to be forced to love. As if the absence of choice creates peace. He believes that â€Å"it is encouraging in your relation to a distinguished man, that in him you must love your neighbor; it is humbling in relation to the inferior, that you do not have to love the inferior on him, but must love your neighbor; it is a saving grace if you do it, for you must do it† (50). Thus the difference between earthly and spiritual love is that earthly love is a choice and spiritual love is a command from God. Both Kierkegaard and Kant come to different conclusions because in their writing, their focus is on separate ideas. Kant, being a man of reason primarily, approaches his philosophy in a scientific manner. To explain, he breaks one thing into smaller things. Kant makes observations based on what he sees, hears, tastes, smells, and feels (like his three types of friendships). However, he does also make some conceptual assumptions (discussed earlier) such as his idea of putting love of humanity before self-love will cause reciprocation of friendship. Unlike Kierkegaard, Kant does not focus on religion as it is unnecessary for someone who is only interested in empirical observations. Kierkegaard however is not concerned with empirical observation, as he believes that there is something higher and more important i. e. Christianity. Kierkegaard concentrates more on morality and what he believes is right, instead of focusing on what is actually there. Kierkegaard doesn’t even talk about friendship in his writing. This shows that he places much more importance on what his religion says is right instead of trying to observe and deconstruct what friendship is. Although both philosophers have radically different ideas on how to achieve a utopian world, their ideas as an end result are very similar. They both want a world in which everyone loves everyone. The difference is that Kant’s love comes from reason, whereas Kierkegaard’s is spiritual. For this reason Kant’s idea seems more logical to the rational human being. Kant doesn’t believe in forced love, he believes in a choice to put either love of humanity or love of oneself at the fore. Kierkegaard’s idea of loving as a moral duty is contradictory at its heart, because how can you love if you don’t have a choice who to love? If you ‘love’ everyone it stops being love because love is defined by its opposite. How can there be love without hate? If it can’t exist, then how feasible is Kierkegaard’s idea? This is the main problem with Kierkegaard, because his observations come from his faith. In the real world, love should come from understanding, not dogma. If there is no understanding, it’s like a slavery of the mind. Works Cited Immanuel Kant, â€Å"Lectures on Ethics†, Ethics. Trans. Louis Infield, Harper Torchbooks, The Cloister Library, Harper Row Publishers, New York and Evanston. Soren Kierkegaard, â€Å"Works of Love†, Thou Shalt Love Thy Neighbor. Trans. David F. Swenson Lillian Marvin Swenson, Princeton – New Jersey, Princeton University Press.

Saturday, October 26, 2019

Hiroshima, Nagasaki, and the World :: World War II History

Hiroshima, Nagasaki, and the World Einstein first told president Roosevelt about the tremendous power of fused uranium in the late 1930's. Soon after this news from Einstein the atom bomb was built and tested. With bombs ready, Truman is faced with a decision. America is in the middle of World War II with no end in sight. He decides to deploy two atomic bombs on two Japanese cities. Hiroshima and Nagasaki were the two fateful cities. The atomic bombs give relief to America because it ends the war. Even though America wins the war they defeat the whole purpose of keeping the world secure by bringing turbulence not only to Japan, but the rest of the world. Truman stops the torture and death for American soldiers fighting in the war. Truman, though, showed total disregard for the well being of the world. Uranium was the explosive used in both bombs. The explosion of an atomic bomb is equal to 15,000 tons of TNT. In the bomb, a piece of uranium is propelled into a larger piece of uranium and they fuse into a phase called critical mass. After this a chain reaction of fission occurs. In fission, atoms are split, and neutrons hit each other causing supplementary fission. Fission causes an enormous amount of energy in the form of extreme heat, a massive shock wave, and the lasting effect of radiation. As soon as the bomb explodes a wave of heat ranging from 1,000 to 15,000 degrees engulfs everything in a mile radius. The shock wave destroyed most of the buildings within the mile radius. After the blast, radiation from gamma rays and neutrons cause death and injury. The bombs caused death in Japan and feelings of insecurity for the remainder of the world. The bomb called," Little Boy," was dropped on Hiroshima on August 6, 1945 at approximately 8:15 a.m. Three days before the bombing fliers were dropped from aircrafts warning Hiroshima that they were going to be victims of a destructive weapon. The bomb was dropped from the altitude of six miles by a B-52 bomber named Enola Gay. The bomb exploded a thousand feet from ground. It leveled five square city miles. In this bombing 70,000 innocent people died. It was said that everybody in the city lost somebody. After the blast a metal lunch pale of a schoolgirl was found about 1,000 feet from the blast, she was not.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Rethinking Our World

Rethinking our world Linguistic analysis: * Claims that almost all philosophical problems can be dispensed with once their underlying linguistic basis is exposed * No matter how hard we try to solve a problem we fail, then we are dealing with a false problem/ meaningless set of words * 2 British philosophers = Bertrand Russell & AJ Ayer * Focused on logic, linguistic meaning & verifiable facts Help us do: * Think more clearly * Be precise in what we mean * Spot hidden assumptions & dishonesty in all forms of propaganda Can’t help us with: * Moral problems * Life choices * Facing own mortality Seeing the people we love suffer * Our own suffering Logical symbolism & argument: * Arrive at the basic structure of truth * Process is facilitated by representing objects & relationships symbolically * Any statement that is true/false by definition can be expressed in form of symbolic logic Empiricism: * Gained through traditional 5 senses(seeing, hearing, touching, smelling, tasting) g ives us our most reliable form of information * Concerned with establishing the truth by means of scientific testing * Searching for objective truth * Linguistic analysis, logical symbolism & empiricism = logical mpiricism Can help us: * Understand how our physical world operates * Test truth of certain claims * Refute what is false * Respect natural laws of the Universe * Learn from experience Failings: * Places too much emphasis on science * Ignores human values * Views human beings as machines * Tend to ignore anything that can’t be explained scientifically * Confines truths to that which can be experiences through senses Critical Rationalism: * Encourage questioning & open-mindedness * Socrates, 470-399 BC * Challenge existing ideas & beliefs by questioning them * Essential for the future of true democracy Emphasis that scientists must be objective * Completely against societies where people can’t speak their minds freely & discuss things openly * Focuses on avoidi ng falsity Help us to do: * Question what people in authority tell us * Be more open to what other people think * Examine our own opinions more carefully * Be more tolerant & understanding * Solve problems Can’t help us to do: * Make quik decisions * Find meaning of life * Can make us feel insecure * Solve problem of suffering Types of false argument: * Name-calling * False cause & effect Falsely representing an opinion in order to discredit it * Appeal to emotion * Falsely claiming that, because a point of view is popular, it must be true Existentialism: * What is meaning of life? * Modern believe that â€Å"our duty† is to decide for ourselves what life is about Can help us to do: * Question other people’s ideas & values * Be more open about ourselves * Trust our instincts * Spot fakes * Enjoy life more Failings: * Too trusting * Can be confusing * May lead to despair * May leave us feeling helpless & angry * May be seriously disruptive Nihilism: * Philosophy of nothing No purpose in life = waste of time * Can lead to violence & chaos, but also free people who have grown up in very repressive religious environments African philosophy: * Holistic philosophy which shares certain ideas with Buddhism philosophy: it stresses the importance of human community & community’s place in the Universe * Claims that happiness at least partially consists of living for others, supporting each other * It’s an anti-materialistic philosophy Can do: * Build communities * Encourage human beings to be more humble * Give deeper understanding of ourselves * Help us appreciate mystery Re-examine need for tradition in human life Can’t help us do: * Doesn’t challenge power structures * Unable to accept women as men’s equals * Doesn’t encourage critical thinking * Tends to ignore needs of individual person * Tolerates cruel superstitious practices System theory: * Sees things as a whole rather than splitting things into par ts & encourages us to keep the objective of a system in mind The enneagram & Human personality: 1. Reformer 2. Helper 3. Movie star 4. Individualist 5. Scientist 6. Loyal supporter 7. Pleasure-seeker 8. Achiever 9. Peacemaker Critical theory: Most famous version = Maxism – wants to abolish all inequalities of wealth & all social inequalities Influences: * Maxism * Feminism * Black rights movements * Postmodernist thinking * Socialism Help us do: * Realistically assess power * Identify those who have power & those who don’t * Identify weaknesses in existing power relations * Define own, personal power & weaknesses * Re-examine our priorities * Re-assess our lives Fails: * Become fanatical * Sometimes too simplistic in its analysis of power * Too idealistic * Lead to despair & violence * Ignore human emotions & desires * Very grim philosophyReligious Leaders & social criticism: * Buddha- Buddhism: search for reality using, primarily powers of the mind Path consists of: * right thinking * right attitude * right means of earning a living * right conduct * right views * right speaking * right effort * right concentration * Moses: on a call for social justice under the One God. * Mohammed: vision of society was of all humankind united under Allah * Jesus of Nazareth: radical criticism of oppressive social & economic structures & His single-minded focus on what He called â€Å"The Kingdom of God† * Karl Marx: stood for hope & better tomorrowFeminism: * Sexual stereotyping * Creating bigger place for women in the world * Rejecting view that women are inferior to men Type of feminism: * Critical rasionalism: questions traditions * Critical theory: challenges all forms of power * Empiricism: asks us to look at reality objectively & social reality * African philosophy: attempts to decolonise the efforts of domination by white males * Logical empiricism: feminism precisely define problems women face Claims: * Women people in own right * Women should r eject men’s definitions of what makes a women valuable * Not make defensive claims to â€Å"equality with men† Women’s happiness doesn’t depend on having a romantic/marital relationship with a man * Have right to pronounce an abortion – men don’t get pregnant & bear children Phenomenology: * Look at things & ourselves as they really are * Believes theories about themselves, life & Universe can be very misleading – lead to falsehood & deep unhappiness * Promote religious belief * Confront ourselves in all our ambiguity & complexity & thus get nearer to â€Å"real me† * Encourages us to resist power structures by a process of retreat & non-engagement rather than confrontation Hermeneutics: * Greek – interpretations Similar to existentialism * Take imaginaryy & symbolism seriously * Claims that arts & crafts are important in human life * Believes happiness is linked to our own creativity in whatever form thet takes * Encour ages us to be poets, writers, authors, actors, painters, designers Main ideas: * Emphasis the importance of listening & observing * Claims that individual’s life-experience influences the way he/she understands world * Affirms importance of dialogue in arriving at an understanding of any issue * Is anti-authoritorian & encourages the individual to create his/her own meaning & understandingHelp us do: * Create meaning * Discover own hidden artistic abilities * Resist scientific arrogance & domination * Understand each other * Be more tolerant of each other Can’t help us with: * Define problems * Overcome injustice * Be decisive * Take action * Be more logical Modernism: * Science, reason & technology will fix it all Postmodernism: * Doesn’t believe in definitions Examines following aspects of human condition: * Way in which we see ourselves * Failure of science to solve many problems Fact that reason may not be a good guide to solving certain problems * Power of large, modern institutions over individual * Need to experience all our emotions to the full * Our inner needs * Mental anguish & illness * Where we get our standards of right/wrong * Trust these standards * Criminality & delinquency * Technology is morally neutral Methods of enquiry in philosophy: * Phenomenology: who are we? * Hermeneutics: symbols & images speak to us * Empiricism: what is actually going on * Some forms of feminism: who says the male is the â€Å"norm†?

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Joyce’s novel Essay

The novels Mrs. Dalloway and A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, written by Virginia Woolf and James Joyce respectively, are tales of persons who are challenged by the society in which they live. The roles traditionally handed down to men and women become elements of restraint for many of the characters within the stories. While convention dictates the actions that the characters should perform, the readers get the impression that the authors are in opposition to these traditions. Throughout the day spent with Mrs. Dalloway and her friends, situations arise in which characters become critical of others’ choices in a way that depicts the ideas of the narrator or author. Likewise, in the experiences of Stephen Dedalus and the other characters of Joyce’s novel, one finds that they often desire to perform actions alien to the stereotypical roles of their genders. In these novels, therefore, we find that there is no apparent desire within characters for males or females to inherit traditional gendered roles. In fact, we discover a desire to occupy a multi-gendered identity. This is important because it gestures at an identity separate from societal construction of gender. Hermione Lee relates that Virginia Woolf sought a â€Å"combination of sensibility and tenacity† in her work (xvii). This suggests a similar mixing of feminine and masculine qualities with which she imbues several of her characters in Mrs. Dalloway. Clarissa Dalloway has become a woman who ostensibly fits perfectly within the role societally configured for her gender. She is the wife of a statesman and the mother of a beautiful daughter. She throws fine parties and does the traditional female jobs of overseeing the servants, visiting the sick, and other things. Yet, Woolf appears immediately to intimate to the reader the undesirability of all this tradition to Clarissa herself, as she is seen at the outset of the novel going on an errand that should normally have been reserved for her servants. Her desire for independence is asserted in the first sentence, â€Å"Mrs. Dalloway said she would buy the flowers herself (Woolf 1). Though this rebellion is a small one and is buried in the guise of â€Å"womanly† work (going to buy flowers), the commercial aspect of it places her in the position of a business person, just as the errand frees her from the confines of the home. On this walk she thinks of Peter Walsh, a man with whom she once shared her passions for literature and freedom. Her thoughts and desires break through conventions that dictate the subservience of women. She considers marriage in a way that seems alien to its constitution, as she imbues her role in it with the type of independence that one does not usually find in the traditional view of marriage. She explains that her decision against marrying Peter was made because â€Å"In marriage a little licence, a little independence there must be between people living together day in day out in the same house; which Richard gave her, and she him† (Woolf 5). This demonstrates the extent to which she desires not to be subsumed by her husband as women often are in marriages. Continuing, she thinks, â€Å"When it came to that scene in the little garden by the fountain, she had to break with him [Peter] or they would have been destroyed, both of them ruined, she was convinced† (6). This tells what she considers her life would have been like with Peter. She seeks to add a portion of masculinity to her role by keeping something of herself and continuing to show herself to the world—a right that is usually granted without reservation to married men, but tacitly withheld from women of that time. Clarissa continues to demonstrate her inner tendencies to throw off the traditional gender role and to fulfill her political and occupational dreams. During that time in England, women’s occupations were limited to household-related chores. She considers other women who had lived non-traditional lives, and longs to have her life to live again so she could make different choices. The first of those choices would have granted her an occupation that would defy her gender. The narrator assures us that Clarissa Dalloway â€Å"would have been, like Lady Bexborough, slow and stately; rather large; interested in politics like a man; with a country house; very dignified, very sincere† (Woolf 8). The use of the phrase â€Å"like a man† is telling, in that it highlights the extent to which Mrs. Dalloway longs to be released from the confines of her sex. She wants to be endowed with the possibilities that attend a man. Also telling is her desire to be â€Å"very sincere† (8). Sincerity is not a trait that has been traditionally accorded to women, as they were encouraged to keep their thoughts to themselves (or perhaps not to have any at all). Therefore, a woman with any ideas or opinions can be considered to have been somewhat forced into insincerity by their very act of subordination to the will of their husband and in their pretence at never having anything to say beyond remarks about the running of the household. Clarissa’s urge to speak sincerely demonstrates her desire to combine traditionally masculine qualities with her feminine ones.

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

Why computers are useful essays

Why computers are useful essays What is a computer? A Computer is an electronic device that can receive a set of instructions, or program, and then carry out this program by performing calculations on numerical data or by compiling and correlating other forms of information. Computers have been part of this world for a very long time since 1936. The first programmable computer that was made in 1936 was by Konrad Zuse. Since the first computer was made technology has developed extremely. Computers have played an amazing role in our world. When computers started to first come out in the United States barely anybody had a computer. Nowadays almost everybody has a computer even if its in their home or in their office. The use of computers has been widely spread throughout the entire world. Computers are now so advanced that they are being used for almost everything. More and more areas are being taken over by the computer. Today the computers and new innovation like the Internet has changed the business world and ev en our daily lives. The computer has made everybodys life easier. Computers are very good because they are useful in schools, useful for making movies, useful in banks, and they are even useful for communication. One of the main places computers have been most useful in is in schools. Students and teachers in schools are now using computers for many reasons. Some of those reasons are from writing papers, researching certain information, keeping grades, and also keeping attendance. One of the main reasons why computers are being put in schools is because of the students. Computers are being put in schools so that students can do certain tasks they cannot do without a computer such as typing a paper or searching certain information for a project. One day our teacher assigned us to do a paper on a certain topic. I really didnt know much about this topic so I went to one of the computers in my school and researched the topic so that I would ...

Monday, October 21, 2019

10 Ways to Turn Writing a Paper into a Drinking Game

10 Ways to Turn Writing a Paper into a Drinking Game College students have long suspected that universities and individual professors must buy stock in paper companies. For some, its the only explanation as to why college seems to be just one paper assignment after another. Conspiracy theories aside, writing papers can be tough. But when the grind wears you down, injecting a bit of fun can help get you over the hump. When it comes to paper writing, its time to turn to the same tactics employed by such literary luminaries as Ernest Hemingway, Raymond Chandler, Tennessee Williams and Hunter S. Thompson: Booze. However, college students cant just kick back with a snifter of brandy and mull over their literary choices. Thats way too pedestrian. Of course, the answer is to turn it into a drinking game. After all, its practically a college tradition. Before you begin, be sure to save a copy of your paper in a completely separate file, preferably on a flash drive. Better safe than sorry. Inspiration may strike during your game, but its always good to have a back up. You dont want to have to reconstruct full pages that fell apart because you got off on a tangent about the therapeutic properties of cat videos. Once you have a backup file saved, pick your poison. You can pick a selection of brews and assign each rule a specific brand or type or you can just pick one and stick with it the whole way through. Chances are it wont matter what you drink – the end result will be the same. For extra fun later, turn on Track Changes in your Formatting menu so you can follow along the next morning and see how your editorial decisions changed as the night wore on. Rules of The Paper Writing Drinking Game Every time you run into a 404 tracking down a source, take a drink. If you were tracking it down from Wikipedia, take two drinks. Each time you write yourself into a corner, take a drink. Every time you catch yourself writing in circles, take two. Take a drink for each syllable in any words you have to pronounce out loud in order to spell correctly as you type. If a page has more footnotes than actual text, take two drinks and toast Flann OBrien. Each time you stretch out a single paragraph idea into two or more, take a drink and pat yourself on the back. Take a drink and give yourself a slap for every time you catch yourself on Candy Crush Saga, Farmville or any other pointless FaceBook game. Have another drink each time to catch yourself randomly scrolling down a page and realize you completely forgot what you were looking for. Any time you find yourself in need of a friend with a subscription to JSTOR or LexisNexis, take a drink and hit up any journalism majors who happen to be online. Take another drink every time you catch yourself calculating how many words per minute youll have to write in order to get the paper done tonight. Every time you ask yourself how much bigger you can make the font or contemplating formatting changes to make your paper appear longer, take two drinks. Bonus Shots Any time you re-write a sentence more than 12 times For every set of Block Quotes you use to bulk out a few pages. Every time you say out loud Okay, down to work now. Each time you search around for single words you can stretch into more (i.e. changing it to the field of robotic psychiatry) Every FaceBook status update or Tweet about the progress youve made on your paper. Chances are youll end up with a screen filled with plenty of red squiggly lines and a few good ideas. If you managed to actually finish the paper – or this version of it anyway – during the game, that earns you a bonus round of whatever quality alcohol you have stashed away. Dont forget to save the fruit of your labor before drinking some water and passing out face first on the keyboard. But the fun isnt over yet! In the morning youll be eligible to play the super fun Bonus Morning After Game! Brew a pot of coffee, wipe off the keyboard and open the file from the night before. Re-read what you wrote and edited the night before. Every time something makes you laugh out loud, take a sip of coffee. Take two every time you read something that makes you wince. Finally, take a big gulp for any sections so inspired you leave them nearly intact in the final version of the paper. Heres also a guide on How to Cure Hangover for those who drank too much yesterday. Did you ever write drunk? Tell us your own story in comments!

Sunday, October 20, 2019

The Millionaire Next Door Expert Summary, Critique, and Review

The Millionaire Next Door Expert Summary, Critique, and Review SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Thomas Stanley and William Danko didn’t expect The Millionaire Next Door, their case study of America’s millionaires, to become a huge bestseller. Both academics at the University of Georgia, they set out to learn about the habits and lifestyles of the nation’s highest earners, not to write a personal finance bible. Readers were blown away by Stanley and Danko’s findings, though, namely that most millionaires don’t own fancy cars or throw lavish yacht parties. On the contrary, they live by principles of â€Å"thrift, low status, discipline, low consumption, risk, and very hard work.† From this book, many readers realized that the dream of amassing over $1 million was not as out of reach as they had thought. Stanley and Danko’s 1996 bestseller can still teach us a lot about personal finance today, but it also falls short in a few key ways. Read on for a full summary and critique of The Millionaire Next Door. The Millionaire Next Door: Summary What do you picture when you hear the word â€Å"millionaire†? Sprawling mansions in Beverly Hills? Fancy restaurants, antique cars, and weekend trips to St. Bart’s? According to Stanley and Danko, real millionaires look nothing like the extravagant stereotypes in our cultural imagination. Instead, they’re more likely than not to be your next-door neighbors who live in their starter home and have been driving the same used Volvo for the past ten years. Most millionaires, they discovered, gradually amassed their wealth over time. Many of the people surveyed in The Millionaire Next Door owned a so-called â€Å"dull-normal† small business. They were â€Å"welding contractors, auctioneers, rice farmers, owners of mobile-home parks, pest controllers, coin and stamp dealers, and paving contractors." How did these people with a relatively ordinary income become millionaires? They all saved a larger-than-average proportion of their earnings by keeping consumption costs low and making early investments. By the time Stanley and Danko interviewed them to explore the secrets of the millionaire mind, these people had a net worth between $1 million and $10 million. The authors focused on this bracket, because, at the time of writing, 95% of the country’s millionaires had between $1 million and $10 million. Out of all American households, only 3.5% were classified as millionaires. That means that only 5% of that 3.5% had wealth totaling greater than $10 million. Our images of private jets and shiny yachts, therefore, only apply to a tiny population of people and not to the â€Å"average† millionaire. Because the majority of people in The Millionaire Next Door did not inherit their wealth, the authors concluded that â€Å"this level of wealth can be attained in one generation. It can be attained by many Americans.† This optimistic premise is one reason that so many readers embraced the book when it was published and still do today. Let’s look closer at the book’s driving thesis. William and Danko found that most millionaires owned "dull-normal" businesses, like mobile-home parks or welding companies. The Millionaire Next Door: Main Premise The main premise of The Millionaire Next Door can be found right in its title - the average millionaire could be anyone’s next door neighbor. Most of the country’s millionaires don’t look the part, or, at least, they don't look like we imagine they do. When we think about the lifestyles of millionaires, we have an unrealistic and flawed view. Most members of the millionaire's club aren’t flashy spenders working superstar jobs. They’re not lottery winners or movie stars dropping $6k on the regular for table service at nightclubs. In fact, Stanley and Danko consider people who spend a lot on non-essentials to be â€Å"UAWs,† or under accumulators of wealth. Their net worth ends up being less than it should be as a result of all their spending. On the contrary, the vast majority of the country’s millionaires live cautiously and modestly. They have a decent income, but they choose to live well below their means. Because of their careful, intentional budgeting, they become â€Å"PAWs,† or prodigious accumulators of wealth. They have a greater net worth than you would expect because they keep their costs so low. In the end, The Millionaire Next Door shows that most of the country’s millionaires are PAWs with higher than average, but by no means superstar-level, incomes. The book clears away some of the aura around the word, millionaire, and suggests that it’s more attainable than most people realize. Is this is a realistic message for the book to impart to its readers? According to the authors, someone with a flashy car might be an Under-Accumulator of Wealth (UAW), because they spent large portions of their money. The Millionaire Next Door: Full Critique Stanley and Danko are technically spot on when they reframe our thinking about what it means to be a millionaire. If we define â€Å"millionaire† as an individual with a net worth of $1 million or more, then we’ll find that the vast majority of millionaires don’t have stratospheric net worth. Rather, most just make the one million dollar cutoff or go a little beyond, and they got there by saving and investing a higher-than-average percentage of their income. Because superstar earners are so few and far between, the vast majority of us are not going to become rich that way. We should avoid â€Å"get rich quick† schemes and not include â€Å"become a movie star† or â€Å"get recruited by the NFL† in our personal finance plans. Instead, we should learn from this book’s realistic assessment about how most millionaires amassed their wealth. Their commitment to hard work and early investments, along with their aversion to excessive consumerism, forged a path to financial independence. If you’re serious about saving money and working toward financial security, then this steady approach is the most likely path. Of course, not everyone who lives by principles of thrift, hard work, and under consumption will become a millionaire. But most people who have become millionaires abided by those values. At the same time, these lifestyle choices are not necessarily what most readers have in mind when they say they want to be a millionaire. Read on to learn more about the weak points in The Millionaire Next Door. Most millionaires didn't amass their fortune from a get-rich-quick scheme. Where the Book Falls Short: 2 Major Weaknesses Stanley and Danko challenge conventional ideas about what it means to be a millionaire, but they have too extreme an emphasis on low consumption. Their conclusions, furthermore, are not as revelatory as they seem at first glance when you consider the statistics behind their work. Read on to learn more about both of these weak points in The Millionaire Next Door. #1: It Over-Emphasizes Low Consumption Many readers buy this book because they want to learn about how to become a millionaire. The book offers a potential path: careful savings, long-term investments, and lifestyle choices that include staying in a starter home and driving a used car. But is this what most people mean when they say they want to be a millionaire? Probably not. A lot of readers want their quality of life to improve along with their net worth, rather than having money invested in assets while their day-to-day lives remain exactly the same. As Felix Dennis, author of How to Get Rich, asks, would you rather have no money in the bank, but a fairy that pays for everything you buy, or have one billion dollars in the bank, but never be allowed to touch it? Most of us would choose the fairy. Stanley and Danko, however, veer a little too close to the second scenario as they stress the importance of self-denial. Their thrifty definition of being a millionaire is not relevant to the wants and needs of many people. While their definition can usefully reframe our thinking about what it means to be a millionaire, it also has its limitations. As writer, trader, and risk analyst Nassim Taleb says, â€Å"I see no special heroism in accumulating money, particularly if, in addition, the person is foolish enough to not even try to derive any tangible benefit from the wealth...I certainly do not see the point of becoming [a millionaire] if I were to adopt Spartan (even miserly) habits and live in my starter house." Part of the reason that the authors focus so much on â€Å"next door millionaires† is that they technically represent the â€Å"average† millionaire. Most millionaires have something like $1 million and not $10 million, and most saved this sum from hard work and thrift. But when readers say they want to be a millionaire, are they necessarily focusing on the lifestyle of the â€Å"average† millionaire? It’s almost like you said you wanted to get a Ferrari, and the book told you that most Ferrari owners got their car in the Hot Wheels section of Toys R Us. While this might technically be true (the stat includes everyone from age three to age 93), it’s not what you had in mind when you said you wanted a Ferrari. You didn’t want to take an average of all Ferrari owners, six-year-olds included, but rather wanted to use much narrower and more personalized parameters, like adult owners of real cars who have a similar financial profile as you. Stanley and Danko offer a potentially fruitful path toward becoming a millionaire, but it’s one that may not appeal or apply to all readers. The second weakness in this book has to do with its overall conclusions. From a mathematical standpoint, the book states some rather obvious statistics. Read on to learn why. The book's characterization of what it takes to become a millionaire are a bit too Puritanical for some people's tastes. #2: Its Conclusions Are Not All That Surprising Part of this book’s popularity has to do with its so-called surprising findings about what it means to be a millionaire. Millionaires aren’t tucked away behind security gates on their own private tropical islands, the book insists. They live right next to you and me! From a mathematical standpoint, though, the conclusion that most millionaires amassed their wealth through high saving, rather than high earning, is not astonishing. On the contrary, it’s totally predictable. To understand why, first, consider this representative example involving people and hats of various heights. Let’s say we want to learn more about people who are nine-feet tall. In our scenario, we’ll count hats as part of the height. In this scatterplot, you have people of various heights along the x-axis and hats of various heights along the y-axis. Hat heights are evenly distributed, but the number of people above six feet drops off rapidly. Heights and Hats: Diagram 1 Now let’s look at the people who are nine feet or taller, hats included. Above this line, everyone is nine feet or taller, while everyone below it is less than nine feet. Heights and Hats: Diagram 2 As you can see, there are a lot more people who hit the nine-foot mark because they’re wearing a hat. Only one person is nine feet on his own without a hat, because there are so few nine-foot tall people wandering the earth. Now, we’re not really talking about heights and hats; we’re talking about income and savings rates. Let’s use this same scatterplot to learn about people who have $1 million or more. Do they make a high income, or do they just have a high savings rate (or, as the analogy goes, wear a tall hat)? Here, income is represented along the x-axis and the rate of savings is represented along the y-axis. Income and Savings Rates: Diagram 1 Now let’s estimate a line through the data so that we’re roughly focusing on everyone with a net worth of $1 million or higher. Income and Savings Rates: Diagram 2 Just as there are only a few 8-foot tall people, there are also only a few people with incomes close to $1 million or higher. The rate that people save their money, rather than how much they earn, is much more evenly distributed across income levels. When you look at the way income levels rapidly extinguish as you get closer to a million, you can conclude that it’s a lot more common for people to accumulate $1 million or more by significantly raising their savings rate than by boosting their income into the six digits. This math shows us that most millionaires amassed their fortune through saving a lot. While this is useful to know, it’s not necessarily as revelatory as the marketers of The Millionaire Next Door have made it seem. By simply looking at the numbers, you can figure out on your own that most millionaires became wealthy by spending little and saving a lot. Given this mixed review of The Millionaire Next Door, what’s the final verdict? Should you read this book? The hats in the example above are a metaphor, as hats so often are. Reader’s Choice: Should You Read The Millionaire Next Door? All in all, The Millionaire Next Door has a lot to teach us about the choices and lifestyles of the average millionaire in the US. Whether or not it’s the most enlightening book for you largely depends on what you’re looking for. Is your main financial goal to save over $1 million in the bank and assets while spending little? If so, then this book will be right up your alley. Or would you rather spend well on things that you enjoy, but not necessarily go over the tipping point from $900k to $1 million? If this sounds like you, then this book may not apply as well to your financial goals. It's also important to remember that this book came from a study of the nation's millionaires. It's valuable and interesting for those who want insight into how others accumulate wealth rather than tips for how to do it themselves. In closing, let’s go over the main takeaways from The Millionaire Next Door. Remember that The Millionaire Next Door came from the studies of two academics. It wasn't meant to be a how-to guide for your personal finances. The Millionaire Next Door: Final Takeaways The Millionaire Next Door offers several lessons that endure for people today. To responsibly manage your finances, you generally want to save more, spend less, and avoid debt that you can’t afford. You should also take advantage of compound interest growth by making smart investments early in life. At the same time, you won’t find much discussion of quality of life or increasing your spending in a sustainable way in these pages. After all, it was not originally meant to be a personal finance guide, but rather an in-depth study of the nation’s millionaires. The book does not promise that anyone who saves and invests will become a millionaire, nor does it discuss social realities of inequity and privilege. You should read with a critical eye, so that you don’t come away with an overly idealized view of economic mobility or forget that some people experience barriers to wealth while others have more doors open. Ultimately, the book's lessons about what it means to be a millionaire can be useful for anyone who is trying to set financial goals and find realistic ways to work toward them. Readers will need to strike their own balance between self-denial and consumption as they take control of their personal finances.