The Signalman and The Red Room are well known examples of nineteenth :: English Literature

The Signalman and The Red Room are well known examples of nineteenth century ghost stories How effectively do the authors of â€Å"The Red Room† and â€Å"The Signalman† create a sense of suspense in the story "The Signalman" and "The Red Room" are well known examples of nineteenth century ghost stories. The Signalman by Charles Dickens was written in 1865, which was the time of developing literacy. This short story was presented in three parts as it was previously in a periodical form; this technique was also used to create suspense and therefore leaves the reader at a cliff hanger after each episode, which in turn motivates the reader to read on. There were many rumors about this story as many people suggested that Dickens wrote this story as a remembrance of the day he was involved in a railway accident which killed ten people. Furthermore, He was writing in the Victorian times, when there was a massive change in technology as new inventions were created, e.g. the Train. In comparison The Red Room was written only thirty years later in 1894 by HG Wells although it feels more timeless. At that time technology had improved intensely, nevertheless Wells still imitated the old fashion gothic literature style writing, which is ironic, due to the time. Both stories have managed to engage its audience by creating suspense and tension. Besides that both stories have been written in first person, this in sequence makes it sinister, in a way because we get to know the narrator’s impressions and feelings. The authors of both stories have selected discomforting places in which to set their story, they are made more eerie because that in the 19th century time many people believed in ghosts and the supernatural. First of all The Signalman is located in a very isolated place, as the narrator describes â€Å"as solitary and dismal a place as I ever saw† This suggest that it is a remote, despondent place which is suitable for the supernatural to exist. Before even meeting the Signalman, the narrator says â€Å"steeped in the glow of an angry sunset† and â€Å"so little sunlight that it had an earthy, deadly smell† the use of pathetic-fallacy and symbolism suggests that it’s getting dark and describes a sense of imminent death. The reader is also told it is â€Å"this great dungeon† the oxymoron used suggests confinement; a place where it’s hard to escape, this therefore makes it more sinister in a way as dungeons are dark and cold and give a sense of fear. The darkness prominently reduces visibility between the narrator and the signalman as said â€Å"'I was near enough to have touched him† and

The Rough Riders :: essays papers

The Rough Riders Towards the end of the nineteenth century, William McKinley defeated Grover Cleveland for the presidency and there was a huge push for the United States of America to expand beyond its continental boarders. (Lorant, p. 281) With an enthusiasm for a new urge for international Manifest Destiny, the American people wanted to match Europe^s imperial power by making America^s weight felt around the world. (Boger p.714) The extent of expansionism was felt in the Pacific Ocean with the occupation of the Hawaiian Islands and Guam, but the most famous example of Americas enthusiasm for international assertiveness came in the Caribbean with the war for Cuban independence against Spain. (Boger p.714) The Spanish-American war was a war that made the United States emerge as a world power and has sense been thought of as the most popular war in American history. (Lorant, p. 281) As John Hay had said, ^It has been a splendid little war, begun with the highest matters, carried on with mag! nificent intelligence and spirit, favored by the fortune which loves the brave.^ (Lorant, p. 297) Words that truly captured the feelings of all Americans at the time. In the American people^s eyes, the war was not won by political jargon or a decisive Naval campaign, but by a rugged Lieutenant Colonel and his band of outlaws, cowboys, and Harvard polo-players, more commonly known as the Rough Riders. (Lorant, p. 295) Although the war was not won by Roosevelt^s Rough Rider charge up San Juan Hill, the battle gave the war its romantic essence, which still fills history books today. Roosevelt^s Rough Riders were a key part in the fight for Cuban Independence by brave yet unconventional means that made them one of the most popular fighting forces in American history. Soon after McKinley^s presidential victory in 1896, he appointed Theodore Roosevelt to the office of Assistant Secretary of the Navy under John D. Long. (Lorant, p. 281) The main problems of the time were the occupation of Cuba by Spain and the fact that relations with Spain were steadily worsening. American sympathy was with the Cubans who were rebelling against the corrupt and evil Spanish overlords. (Lorant, p. 281) Americans attitude towards the Cuban people was mainly on humanitarian motives, but other reasons came into play to push the United States into a fight. The first reason was being economic. (Lorant, p. 281) The trade with Cuba, which had been one hundred million dollars in 1893, was badly disrupted by the insurrection. (Lorant, p. 281) Another reason was geo-political.

Alternative Medicine Essay 9

Abstract This paper is going to educate the reader about Alternative and Complementary Medicine which is also known as CAM. The paper will define Alternative and Complementary Medicine or CAM and compare it to conventional medicine. The main focus of the paper will be examining the different types of CAM. The types of CAM will be broken into five different groups which are : Whole or Alternative Medical Systems, Mind-Body Medicine, Biologically Based Practices, Manipulative and Body-Based Practices, and Energy Medicine. The reader will read about many mainstream practices such as Chiropractic and Physical therapy as well as many less popular practices such as Color Therapy and Reiki. The paper will also briefly discuss my personal opinion and interest of CAM as well as CAM related to health insurance CAM – Alternative and Complementary Medicine Millions of people in the United States suffer from a chronic illness of some kind. A chronic illness is a long-term condition for which there seems to be no cure such as arthritis, allergies, high blood pressure, digestive problems and back pain. Most of the time people that live with chronic illness use conventional medicine, which is taught to medical students in medical schools throughout the world and is based on science and clinical research and most treatments have scientific evidence of their effectiveness but others use Alternative medicine. Alternative medicine has many different origins and philosophies, comes from many different cultures and involves many different practices. Alternative medicine is used for treatment, preventive health care, health maintenance or to enhance well being. There are several established alternative therapies that have earned respectability because they are effective. Methods such as chiropractic, physical therapy, acupuncture and homeopathy are well researched and their practitioners are well trained and have come to be widely accepted. There are also literally hundreds of other types of alternative treatments that, on the surface seem to be a bit bizarre and are less main stream. The list of what is considered alternative medicine changes often as therapies are proven safe and effective and become adopted into conventional health care. Patients with a terminal illness such as cancer, often turn to alternative medicine after conventional medical treatment has failed them or vice versa. An example of alternative medicine in this case would be using a special diet for cancer treatment instead of or after radiation or chemotherapy. In some cases alternative medicine and conventional medicine can be used together. When this occurs it is called Complementary medicine. An example of this would be when physical therapy is used to rehabilitate a patient after surgery. The use of Complementary Methods and Alternative Medicine is often referred to as CAM and includes a group of diverse medical and health care systems, practices, and products that are not generally considered part of conventional medicine (CAM Overview : NCCAM). The chart below show the percentage of adults and children in the U. S who are using some form of CAM (2007 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) results : NCCAM). [pic] It is unfortunate that at this time that even though there are so many people using different forms of alternative medicine, health insurance coverage is not very good at all. Mainstream forms of alternative medicine such as physical therapy is usually covered to some degree by insurance providers but not usually to the level of conventional medicine. Less popular forms of alternative medicine is usually not covered at all. As these practices become more proven and effective providers should be forced to provide more coverage to their customers. It will be interesting to see how the potential new universal healthcare system will or will not incorporate alternative medicine. This could be one of the key factors that influence politicians and the people on this issue. The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) is a government agency that monitors scientific research on alternative medicines and keeps the public informed on the results of alternative medicine research studies. The NCCAM divides alternative therapies into five major groups: Whole or Alternative Medical Systems – These type of medical systems are some of the most common and often come from complex treatments based upon theories that often have evolved over centuries and often in eastern countries such as China, Korea and India. Examples of these types of systems include Acupuncture, Homeopathic medicine, and Naturopathic medicine. According to (NCCAM) the term â€Å"acupuncture† describes a family of procedures involving the stimulation of anatomical points on the body using a variety of techniques. The acupuncture technique that has been most often studied scientifically involves penetrating the skin with thin, solid, metallic needles that are manipulated by the hands or by electrical stimulation. Acupuncture is regulated by the FDA all practitioners must be licensed and abide by the rules and regulations in regards to the use of needles which are set by the FDA. Acupuncture is pretty safe and there have not been many major incidents reported to the FDA. Most of the time if there is a problem it has to do with the sterilization of needles but there is also the risk of punctured organs http://nccam. nih. gov/health/acupuncture (Acupuncture : NCCAM). Homeopathy or Homeopathic medicine seeks to stimulate the body's ability to heal itself by giving very small doses of highly diluted substances. This technique was developed in Germany more than 200 years ago by Samuel Hahnemenn. Homeopathic practitioners believe that these highly diluted solutions can be powerful medicines and can cure various diseases and illnesses such as the common cold, digestive problems, influenza, hay fever, and earaches. Remedies can be taken as a powder, a pill or a liquid, can be rubbed into the skin or injected. There are usually no side effects although sometimes a patient may feel worse before he feels better (Homeopathy : NCCAM). Naturopathic Medicine focuses on supporting health rather than combating disease. Naturopathic medicine uses the healing power of nature to maintain and restore health (Naturopathy : NCCAM). The use of natural treatments is to get to the root of the problem and what actually created the problem in the first place. Its goal is to create a healthy inner body and outer body. Believers claim naturopathic medicine prevents illness because people are taught healthy diet modifications and lifestyle changes to avoid diseases. Since this system focuses on natural healing there isn’t much risk involved only the risk of the condition getting worst Mind-Body Medicine – The concept of the interconnection between the brain and body has been around for quite a while. Ancient healing practices, such as Traditional Chinese Medicine emphasized important links between the mind and body. Recently people have come to appreciate the powerful effect the mind has over the body. People think that their mind has the power to heal their body and if they have a healthy mind they will have a healthy body. There are many techniques that are being used such as meditation, prayer, mental healing, and therapies that use creative outlets such as art, music, or dance (CAM Overview : NCCAM). The three that are most interesting to me are hypnotherapy, biofeedback, and color therapy. Hypnotherapy is the most widely practiced of these therapies. The patient is put into a hypnosis-induced trance and then treated in a variety of ways to relieve anxiety, pain or stress (Clinical Hypnotherapy : Cleveland Clinic). Relaxation and visualization are stress relieving therapies often used together to treat mental and emotional problems and reduce muscle tension. The goal is to induce a calm mind and body. Visualization uses the patient's imagination and right-brain activity to create positive healing images, which initiate changes in attitudes or behavior. Biofeedback is a technique used especially for stress related conditions such as asthma, migraine headaches, high blood pressure and insomnia (Biofeedback using your mind to improve your health : Mayo Clinic). The patient is hooked up to sensitive machines that monitor small metabolic changes in the body such as heartbeat, temperature, muscle tension as well as brainwaves. The patient is trained to control brainwave activity as well as slow the heartbeat and modify the other functions through breathing and relaxation techniques. Color therapy is based on the belief that diseases, pain, cosmetic problems, personality, â€Å"spiritual attunement†, and intellectual or artistic capabilities are each associated with a specific color. There are several different therapies associated with colors: Color Breathing, Color Imagination, Color Meditation, and Hydrochromopathy. Color Breathing involves the patient imagining himself surrounded by a cloud of a specific color. The color depends on what the patient's problem is. For example yellow is used for stomach, nerves, spleen and pancreas. Blue is used for large intestines, skin, connective tissue and lungs. The patient breathes deeply and imagines the color filling his lungs and flowing throughout his body until it gets to the body part in need of treatment. Color Imagination involves visualizing a specific color in order to cure a disease associated with that color. Color Meditation is a combination of the previous two therapies and parts of Eastern philosophies. It involves visualizing cones of different colors, which point to seven major â€Å"chakras† or psychic centers. Each of these chakras has a color that governs it and meditation and the use of colored light helps to open and reinforce the chakras. Hydrochromopathy is a variation that departs a little from the mind-body connection although it still requires a strong placebo influence. It involves filling a colored glass bottle with distilled water and heating it in sunlight for at least three hours. The resulting â€Å"color charged† water is then used as a treatment for various conditions. A fever is treated by blue charged water, red-charged water is taken to increase energy, green charged water improves overall health etc (Color Therapy : About Holistic Healing). Biologically Based Practices – These use natural substances such as herbs, foods and vitamins and dietary supplements, as well as other â€Å"natural† substances such as shark cartilage, shellfish shells, essential oils, metals, gems and crystals. The chart below shows the most commonly used natural products by adults in 2007 (2007 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) results : NCCAM)[pic] A dietary supplement is â€Å"a product (other than tobacco) that contains a dietary ingredient intended to supplement the diet†. This may include vitamins, minerals, herbs or other botanical amino acids, enzymes, organ tissues, and metabolites. These supplements can be taken in several forms such as tablets, liquids or powders and are considered foods not drugs. Many people today take supplements of this kind. Vitamins and minerals such as iron are routinely prescribed to pregnant women and the shelves in health food shops are stacked to the ceiling with â€Å"natural products† that give you energy, make you sleep, help you to lose or gain weight, help women get through menopause or ease menstrual symptoms, help men build muscles, and protect you from a whole range of illnesses. Some dietary supplements have been proven to be effective treatments for some conditions and have been adopted by conventional medical practitioners. For example scientists have found that folic acid prevents some birth defects and an eye disease called age-related macular degeneration, is slowed down by vitamins and zinc. The most common therapy of this kind is a daily multi-vitamin and mineral tablet. The human body needs a variety of vitamins and minerals for health and these days some people believe that the food we eat does not provide enough of these vitamins and minerals (Using Supplements Wisely : NCCAM). Herbal remedies have been in existence for centuries and many herbs and plants have a powerful effect on the body. There are some common herbal treatments such as Aloa Vera for burns, Senna taken for constipation, ginger or mint taken for an upset stomach and ginseng taken to improve overall health and stamina. More recently Gingko Biloba has become very popular as an anti-aging supplement because of its antioxidant properties, which reduce free radicals in the body. Black Cohosh, an American Indian remedy has become a popular treatment for menstrual problems. There are also some very unusual and unorthodox herbal remedies. For example Carnivora therapy uses an extract from the Venus Fly Trap plant as a treatment for cancer. A few years ago there was a controversy over the claim that eating apricots kernels would cure cancer. Apricot kernels was claimed, contain vitamin B-17 also known as Laetrile, which when eaten would kill or prevent cancer in most cases. It was also claimed that if you ate seven apricot kernels a day you would never develop cancer. These claims were not backed up by clinical trials. In fact eating apricot kernels can be fatal as when crushed they produce cyanide, a lethal poison. The Food and Drug Administration banned the sale of apricot kernels, which led to many cancer patients traveling to Mexico for treatment. (Using Supplements Wisely : NCCAM) One of the most controversial dietary supplement therapies is the use of shark cartilage as a treatment for small cancerous tumors. Supporters of this remedy say that shark cartilage extract inhibits blood supply to small tumors and stops them from growing and metastasizing, a process called angiogenesis. So far there have been no clinical trials that prove this theory but this is a very popular supplement taken by many cancer sufferers. Cartiladge : Cancer Institute) Aromatherapy is the therapeutic use of essential oils taken from plants, seeds, roots and flowers. It is not usually the aromas of the oils that have healing properties, but the essence or chemical make-up of the oils. This essence is usually rubbed onto the skin or made into a tea. The most common use of Aromatherapy is Vicks Vapor Rub, a blend of c amphor, menthol and eucalyptus oil, which is rubbed onto the chest as a treatment for a stuffy nose or a cold (Aromatherepy : Cancer Institute). Manipulative and Body-Based Practices This is based on manipulating or moving one or more body parts as in chiropractic treatments, osteopathic manipulation, physical therapy and massage. Chiropractic uses physical manipulation of the body, especially the spinal column, to relieve pain and aid the body's inner healing power. Chiropractic has come to be more accepted into mainstream medicine in recent years as its effectiveness as a treatment for many conditions including back pain, headaches and sciatica has been demonstrated. It is now the second largest primary health care field in the world. Chiropractic doctors believe that problems with alignment in the spinal column can squeeze nerve endings and pathways, a condition they call subluxation. This squeezing of the nerves causes various ailments and conditions. A chiropractic adjustment of the spinal column, where the spine is re-aligned or straightened will release these nerves which will help the body's innate tendency to heal itself. Chiropractic practitioners earn a Doctor of Chiropractic degree from college and have to pass a state licensing board exam (Chiropractic : NCCAM). Osteopathy is a holistic preventive treatment used to restore balance in the musculoskeletal system. Osteopathic therapists believe that all of the body's systems work together and tension or â€Å"mechanical restrictions† anywhere in the musculoskeletal system can adversely affect other systems and organs in the body (Osteopathy : Natural Medicine Suite 101). Some therapists use osteopathic manipulation, a full-body hands-on technique. Some of the illnesses treated by osteopaths are arthritis, allergies, cardiac diseases, chronic fatigue syndrome, high blood pressure, headaches, digestive disorders and bladder problems. Osteopaths earn a college degree, must complete an internship and residency program and pass State Licensing Board exams. They have the ability to prescribe drugs and perform surgery. Physical Therapy is the treatment of disease and trauma by various physical and mechanical therapies including exercise, heat treatment and massage. It is now so mainstream as to be almost no longer considered an alternative form of medicine. A Physical Therapist is trained to help patients with injuries, paralysis, degenerative diseases, dizziness and other diseases that restrict movement or cause chronic pain. Energy Medicine – Many Eastern non-conventional therapies incorporate the concept of energy fields and universal energy into their mind-body treatments, seeing humans as part of an interconnected, universal energy field. These therapies are sub divided into two types Biofield and Bioelectromagnetic (CAM Overview : NCCAM). Biofield Therapies affect â€Å"energy fields that surround and penetrate the human body† by placing the hands on the body or in or through these fields. Examples include Reiki, Therapeutic Touch, Polarity Therapy and Shiatsu. Reiki is an ancient form of energy healing from Tibet. Reiki therapists place their hands on the chakras as well as major organs and glands to â€Å"channel healing energies†. It is used to treat emotional and mental distress as well as to fine tune â€Å"spiritual focus and clarity†. It is believed that if the patient's spirit is healed the body will heal also. (Reiki : NCCAM) Reiki Masters transfer energy that is universal rather than personal. Reiki practitioners are trained by Reiki Masters, which involves a series of initiations to â€Å"activate the practitioner's healing power†. Therapeutic Touch is a similar treatment based on the ancient art of the laying on of hands. The therapists do not actually touch the patient but hold their hands several inches from the body. The therapist has the ability to identify energy imbalances in the invisible energy fields that surround the human body. Therapists clear the defective energy field and replace it with their own personal energy (What is Theraputic Touch : Theraputic Touch). It is used to help the healing of wounds, promote relaxation, relieve pain and â€Å"ease the dying process†. Shiatsu is a Japanese therapy that developed from traditional Chinese medicine and involves the belief that energy in the body (Chi) flows through channels called meridians, which correspond to various organs in the body (Shiatsu : Holistic Online). Health is governed by five elements: water, fire, earth, wood and metal. The practitioner uses thumbs, hands, forearms, knees and feet to apply pressure to the body, which stimulates the flow of energy and restores balance. Polarity Therapy involves using a light touch that focuses on the spine to balance the body's energy flow. It is based on the theory that everything in nature including the human body is influenced by a â€Å"polarity between positive and negative energy charges† (What is Polarity Therapy : APTA). These energy charges must be in balance in order to prevent illness and pain. Polarity Therapists also use diet and nutrition, polarity yoga and psychological counseling, positive thinking and self-awareness. It is a blend of Western therapies such as chiropractic and osteopathy with eastern therapies that use chakras and the five elements associated with them. Bioelectromagnetic based therapies involves the use of magnets and â€Å"electromagnetic fields, pulsed fields, magnetic fields, or alternating current or direct current fields†. Magnetic Therapy is an ancient therapeutic technique based on the use of magnets on the acupuncture points of the body in order to help the body recuperate, relieve stress and ease pain. The theory is that magnetic fields produced by magnets can penetrate the human body and influence individual cells. The magnetic force stimulates nerves to create a blood flow to swollen and injured areas. Magnets used in this way are also supposed to affect the iron in red blood cells or create an alkaline reaction in the body. There are many magnetic products available that can be taped to the skin, worn in your shoes, as a belt, as jewelry or slept on. Many athletes such as golfers, footballers and tennis players wear magnetic devices to relieve sports related injuries or aches. Magnet therapy is used to treat arthritis, insomnia, headaches and back aches. Sometimes a magnet is incorporated into a copper bracelet, a popular alternative treatment for arthritis sufferers (Use Of Magnets : NCCAM). Those are just a few of the alternative medicines and therapies available today. Many of them are rooted in ancient philosophies and practices. Most of them sound logical and plausible and give hope to people seeking treatment for incurable diseases. Some of them are reputable and accepted forms of treatment, but many are considered quackery. A large percentage of American people use alternative therapies and medicines and the number is growing. Any one of these alternative therapies, no matter how strange they sound, may or may not work for you or me. My general thoughts on Alternative Medicine are that I am one of those people who feels like that if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. A lot of Alternative therapies definitely seem too good to be true. Unfortunately for me, I suffer from arthritis and if my arthritis continues to get worse then I have decided to try some form of alternative medicine because I am tired of the pain and will try anything. It will be interesting to see what type of coverage I will get from my health provider. Fortunately for me I was able to find out some valuable information at the NCCAM website (Paying for CAM : NCCAM). I was able to find out that some forms of CAM are more commonly covered than others and I also learned the importance of asking questions and what questions to ask to CAM and health providers. Hopefully when all is said and done with I will be miraculously healed and a true believer of Alternative Medicine. Bibliography 2007 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) results : NCCAM. (n. d. ). Retrieved 11 25, 2009, from The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine: http://nccam. ih. gov/news/camstats/2007/camsurvey_fs1. htm Acupuncture : NCCAM. (n. d. ). Retrieved 11 25, 2009, from The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine: http://nccam. nih. gov/health/acupuncture/ Aromatherepy : Cancer Institute. (n. d. ). Retrieved 11 25, 2009, from National Cancer Institute: http://www. cancer. gov/cancertopics/pdq/cam/aromatherapy/patient Biofeed back using your mind to improve your health : Mayo Clinic. (n. d. ). Retrieved 11 29, 2009, from Mayo Clinic: http://www. mayoclinic. com/health/biofeedback/SA00083 CAM Overview : NCCAM. (n. d. ). Retrieved 11 25, 2009, from The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine: http://nccam. nih. gov/health/whatiscam/overview. htm Cartiladge : Cancer Institute. (n. d. ). Retrieved 11 27, 2009, from National Cancer Institute: http://www. cancer. gov/cancer_information/doc. aspx? viewid=4AABA6FA-8A2E-4BF7-941F-7DC416B41233 Chiropractic : NCCAM. (n. d. ). Retrieved 11 25, 2009, from The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine: http://nccam. nih. gov/health/chiropractic/ Clinical Hypnotherapy : Cleveland Clinic. (n. d. ). Retrieved 11 25, 2009, from Cleveland Clinic: http://my. clevelandclinic. org/services/clinical_hypnotherapy/hic_clinical_hypnotherapy. aspx Color Therapy : About Holistic Healing. (n. d. ). Retrieved 11 27, 2009, from About : Holistic Healing: http://healing. about. com/cs/colortherapy/a/aa_colortherapy. htm Homeopathy : NCCAM. (n. d. ). Retrieved 11 25, 2009, from The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine: http://nccam. nih. gov/health/homeopathy/ Naturopathy : NCCAM. (n. d. ). Retrieved 11 24, 2009, from The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine: http://nccam. nih. gov/health/naturopathy/ Osteopathy : Natural Medicine Suite 101. (n. d. ). Retrieved 11 25, 2009, from Natural Medicine Suite 101: http://naturalmedicine. suite101. com/article. cfm/osteopathy Paying for CAM : NCCAM. (n. d. ). Retrieved 11 28, 2009, from The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine: http://nccam. nih. gov/health/financial/ Reiki : NCCAM. (n. d. ). Retrieved from The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine: http://nccam. ih. gov/health/reiki/ Shiatsu : Holistic Online. (n. d. ). Retrieved 11 25, 2009, from Holistic Online: http://www. holisticonline. com/Shiatsu/hol_shiatsu_home. htm Use Of Magnets : NCCAM. (n. d. ). Retrieved 11 28, 2009, from The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine: http://nccam. nih. gov/health/magnet/magnetsforpain. htm Using Supplements Wisely : NCCAM. (n. d. ). Retrieved from T he National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine: http://nccam. nih. gov/health/supplements/wiseuse. htm

Machiavelli, Plato, Aristotle Essay

Machiavelli in his book â€Å"The Prince† seems to sap the very foundations of morality and stops at nothing short of capsizing the entire edifice of religion. His thoughts resonate with a loathing of true virtue and propagate corrupted politics. Actually, today the term Machiavellianism is used to refer to the use of deceitfulness to advance one’s goals or desires. In ‘The Prince†, Machiavelli breaks from the classical view of virtue as represented by his philosophic predecessors Plato and Aristotle. Whereas his predecessors held virtue in an ideal environment (idealism), Machiavelli defined virtue in a real environment where one is judged by his actions and not by the way his actions ought to be (realism). According to Plato and Aristotle good life only exists in total virtue where a person will be most happy. Plato places emphasis on the extinction of personal desires through love so that one can achieve happiness (Barker, 1959). Aristotle on the other hand believes that an ideal or perfect state brings out the virtue in all men. A person will gain happiness when all their actions and goals are virtuous. This implies that according to Aristotle happiness is a group goal and not an individual goal (Barker, 1959). Plato equally in bringing out the essence of love which must be shared among people suggests that happiness is a group goal. However, virtue in the Machiavellian sense seems to lack a moral tone. By virtue, he alludes to personal qualities needed for the achievement of one’s own ends (Machiavelli, 1998). His view seems to be directed at self interests and not a common goal. In pursuing personal interests, one is not careful about the means by which he does so and therefore is not bound by a moral imperative. In â€Å"The Prince† Machiavelli describes two types of principalities. One is hereditary and the other is acquired. He observes that though no virtue is required to attain a hereditary principality, it takes virtue to acquire and maintain a new principality. The basis of his views does not entirely contradict the classical view on morality, however, he goes on further to illustrate and make allowances for evil, and this is what brings about the contradiction. For example Machiavelli states, â€Å"When a new territory does not share the same language and culture as the prince’s original territory, the prince must have the wisdom and ability to assimilate the new territory† (Machiavelli, 1998). This view wholly concurs with Plato’s on the need for wisdom as a virtue. On ability however, Machiavelli alludes to the use of force or violent means which defies views on classical morality. In the same chapter, he goes on to say that a prince ought to protect his weaker neighbors and prevent the powerful ones from gaining more power. The virtue of courage here echoes the principle virtues as outlined by Plato, courage being one of them. However, Machiavelli encourages the prince not to hesitate in using force to enforce this (Machiavelli, 1998). This goes against the grain of conventional virtue as it encourages people in power to use whatever means, even ruthless, to preserve their power. Machiavelli suggests two ways by which a private citizen can become a prince, either by fortune or by ability. Among those who became princes through ability, Machiavelli cites Moses, Cyrus, Romulus, and Francesco Sforza among others. He gives the example of Borgia who inherited power and later lost it to dissuade princes from depending on fortune but rather to use their abilities to attain success. He makes it clear that virtue or ability is more related to statecraft and less related to morality. In undermining morality, he allows for the use of force to gain and preserve power. He says â€Å"A prince who comes to power by evil means is said to have neither fortune nor ability. Such a prince may gain power, but not glory† (Machiavelli, 1998). By â€Å"evil means,† he refers to the use cruelty in proper and improper ways. He explains that if cruelty is utilized to achieve a necessary goal, then it is proper. However, if it is used to achieve no purpose but to instill f ear into the citizens, it is improper. Consequently, the proper use of force according to Machiavelli is a virtue. This contradicts the virtue of moderation as outlined by Plato which puts restrictions on the use of extreme means such as the use of force to achieve goals. One can infer that Plato would advocate for diplomacy rather than force if a prince aimed at achieving allegiance from his subjects. According to Plato, good life is only attained through perfect love which comes about by a submersion of personal desire. According to Machiavelli, â€Å"a prince does not have to be loved by the people, though still he must not be hated† (Machiavelli, 1998). He goes further to explain that history has revealed that men who were not loved but feared were more effective leaders. A ruler who brings mayhem to his state because of his imprudent kindness should not be considered a good leader. For Machiavelli, the virtue a prince should pursue is â€Å"fear from his subjects and not love (Machiavelli, 1998). Such a prince, he explains, will be able to sustain the morale of his subjects, which takes both wisdom and courage. Therefore according to Machiavelli the prince is better of being feared than loved which contradicts the earlier views of Plato, who placed a great emphasis on the pursuit of love as a major virtue. In chapter eighteen of â€Å"The Prince† Machiavelli argues that total honesty is only practical in an ideal world. However, since the world is characterized by dishonest men, a prince cannot be expected to keep all his pledges. Therefore he should endeavor to use deception to his benefit. Machiavelli uses the analogy of the fox and the lion to encourage the prince to be both cunning and courageous. He explains that whereas â€Å"the fox can recognize snares but cannot drive away wolves, the lion can drive away wolves but cannot recognize snares† (Machiavelli, 1998).In this he means that a prince does not need to possess good qualities but should just appear to possess them, since subjects are only interested in outward appearances if they lead to a favorable end. It is from this view that the term ‘Machiavellianism† has been coined to in today’s usage to mean the use of cunningness to achieve undue advantage over one’s subjects. In comparison to the classical view of virtue, Machiavelli’s view lacks a moral sense. Machiavelli’s work on the prince has received wide criticism from a large front including the Catholic Church. As the devil’s advocate, he seems to break away from the conventional virtues of his predecessors Plato and Aristotle openly deriding the church and its fundamentals. Whereas Plato and Aristotle relate living virtuously to godliness, Machiavelli’s virtue involves lying and subordinating atrocious means to practical ends. Realism, which Machiavelli subscribed to, has been defined as a cynical view to politics devoted to furthering personal interests with no regard to moral or religious structures (Schaub, 1998). This view implies that a prince can be at odds with the moral virtue, a contradiction to the classical concept of virtue postulated by both Plato and Aristotle. At a glance of Machiavelli’s â€Å"The Prince†, we largely infer that he goes all out to ill advice the prince against the classical virtues of his predecessors. He seems to herald the triumph of evil over good. However, taking a critical look at the work, one cannot help but notice gaps and disjunctions in the text. For example the characters he picks to illustrate his case. In showing the proper and effective use of cruelty in chapter seventeen, he uses Hannibal and compares him to Scipio as compassionate and therefore ineffective. This is violently at odds with the truth and is ironic at the same time because Scipio accused of compassion defeats Hannibal at the battle of Zama (Machiavelli, 1998). Also, Machiavelli writes in Italian and not Latin, the language of the scholars of whom the princes are. This leaves the question as to who exactly was his target audience. Was he really advising the princes who already knew how to be cruel or was it the subjects, and if the subjects then for what purpose. Therefore, just as much as we have illustrated how Machiavelli strays from the classical virtue, it rests upon the attentive reader to ingest and make a personal judgment as to what Machiavelli really intended to put across.

Wedding In Malaysia

Wedding tourism in our country has becoming popular as more foreigners and local tourist are taking interest and start to recognize this tourism field. Nowadays, lots of visitors start to take interest in the grand wedding functions which held in attractive and tourism place as well as at Historical Places and magnificent place of our country.It’s a well-known fact that our country are based from numerous type of races with its colorful culture and traditions. These tradition and rituals of Malaysian reflect the rich cultural heritage of our nation.Ones of the tradition that can generate high income and have a bright chance to be develops in the future is Wedding Tourism which is gaining popularity due to the distinctive celebrations and religious ceremonies that are held in the course of a wedding.Though there are grand and magnificent weddings conducted in tourism and magnificent places in our country includes at the beaches of Malaysia. All kind of Malaysian various races w edding have recently become a hit among tourist around the world.Wedding tourism in our country offers lot more than just the wedding rituals which according to its own culture and religions. Along with the wedding ceremonies, tourist and visitors can enjoy and get a firsthand experience of the wedding preparations that are done by both parties. Besides, wedding tourism in Malaysia also helps tourist in this country to explore the hidden facts of Malaysian wedding and enjoy the warmth and hospitality of our peoples that are well known for their warmness and smile.Realizing this potential in wedding tourism towards the future, our government also take a step ahead in promoting and encourage this industry to enhance its wider around the world. Thus, lots of accommodations such as excellent facilities in hotels, better transportation, mouthwatering cuisine and many more are integrated part of the packages for wedding. The special wedding tour package also helps to get insight into the life style of our peoples and offers an enjoyable moments that can stand to be memories for a  lifetimes. Wedding in Malaysia Wedding tourism in our country has becoming popular as more foreigners and local tourist are taking interest and start to recognize this tourism field. Nowadays, lots of visitors start to take interest in the grand wedding functions which held in attractive and tourism place as well as at Historical Places and magnificent place of our country.It’s a well-known fact that our country are based from numerous type of races with its colorful culture and traditions. These tradition and rituals of Malaysian reflect the rich cultural heritage of our nation.Ones of the tradition that can generate high income and have a bright chance to be develops in the future is Wedding Tourism which is gaining popularity due to the distinctive celebrations and religious ceremonies that are held in the course of a wedding.Though there are grand and magnificent weddings conducted in tourism and magnificent places in our country includes at the beaches of Malaysia. All kind of Malaysian various races w edding have recently become a hit among tourist around the world.Wedding tourism in our country offers lot more than just the wedding rituals which according to its own culture and religions. Along with the wedding ceremonies, tourist and visitors can enjoy and get a firsthand experience of the wedding preparations that are done by both parties. Besides, wedding tourism in Malaysia also helps tourist in this country to explore the hidden facts of Malaysian wedding and enjoy the warmth and hospitality of our peoples that are well known for their warmness and smile.Realizing this potential in wedding tourism towards the future, our government also take a step ahead in promoting and encourage this industry to enhance its wider around the world. Thus, lots of accommodations such as excellent facilities in hotels, better transportation, mouthwatering cuisine and many more are integrated part of the packages for wedding. The special wedding tour package also helps to get insight into the life style of our peoples and offers an enjoyable moments that can stand to be memories for a  lifetimes.

Effects of Stress on Grades

Students at universities worldwide oftentimes find stress to be a part of everyday life. Stress is defined as the way one responds to the changes and demands of life either emotionally, physically, or mentally. Stress is registered in one’s â€Å"fight or flight† response. When an exciting or dangerous event occurs changes take place in the body to prepare the person to deal with the stressful situation. After the stressful situation has subsided the body returns to a normal state. The constant stress of being a college student does not allow the body to return to a normal state so a student may never be able to fully relax. This can lead to stress overload (Bower, 2010). Many factors can affect a student’s academic performance and grades. The National College Health Assessment of 2004 shows that the most significant impediment to effective listening, retaining information, and studying is stress. Stress is noted to be the number one cause of poor academic functioning in a student above other problems like depression, illness, eating disorders, death of a family member, and even sexual assault. The study reviewed 47,202 college students and 32. 4% listed stress as the number one barrier to schoolwork (Temple, 2006). Many college students have multiple stressors. Most are taking multiple classes, working full-time jobs, have family members to take care of, are working long hours at unpaid internship sites, or any combination of these. Many college students must deal with the stress of just leaving home and no longer benefiting from familial support. Relationship problems may begin to develop between the student and the friends, families, or significant others that have been left at home. This overload of responsibility and worry can lead to a lack of sleep and improper nutrition, which can cause difficulty in school (Bower, 2010). Proper nutrition may become a problem for a student because he or she may be unable to grocery shop on a regular basis. Other problems with nutrition occur because a student who is living in a dormitory may be unable to cook proper meals and unable to store large quantities of food. Some students new to living without parents may not have the knowledge to cook a decent meal. Others simply do not have the time to eat properly. Without proper nutrition the brain does not function properly and the student may have difficulty concentrating on schoolwork (Womble, 2002). Maintaining employment while attending college can also be a source of stress. This stress may come from working long hours that can make the student too tired to focus on his or her studies or working long hours may lead to attendance problems at school. Mentally focusing on both work life and school life can be exhausting for a student and can lead to increased amounts of stress. The number of hours a student spends at work can be directly related to that student’s grade point average (GPA) because the more time a student spends at work, the less time that student can spend studying (Womble, 2002). Sleep, or lack of, is the most important factor on a student’s GPA. Many college students do not sleep enough during the week to properly rest the body and mind. Lack of sleep has been shown to increase anxiety and stress. Simple sleep patterns like waking earlier during the weekdays than on the weekends have also been shown to affect the GPA of a student (Womble, 2002). Not all college students complain of experiencing stress, many do. Although some stress is good for a person and may be energizing or motivating, it is important for a person to recognize and be able to manage bad stress before it spirals out of control and has a negative effect. Coping mechanisms are important for anyone but may prove to be more so for a college student. Coping mechanisms include sleeping enough, spending time doing fun activities, relaxing, and practicing time management. Developing ones communication, writing, and test taking skills is important to reduce stress. Engaging in physical activity, reading a book that is not school related, or getting a massage are ways to reduce stress and relax. Daily use of a planner to track assignment due dates and upcoming project deadlines is useful for staying on track with studies (Bower, 2010). Coping mechanisms come from within, from something called personality hardiness. The idea of personality hardiness first came to be with regard to protecting business executives from the health effects of stress. This concept involves having a sense of control and commitment. Commitment means that a person can view the world as a meaningful place and he or she seeks to be involved in the world rather than withdrawn from it. Control shows that a person believes he or she can influence events that take place in his or her world. Personality hardiness means that a person may not feel threatened by changes to his or her environment. Theoretically, a student with personality hardiness should be able to adapt to the changes that come with enrollment in school, taking multiple classes, maintaining employment, and family obligations without stress overload. The result should mean that a student takes on the new challenges with less stress and instead turns the stressful events into opportunities for growth and personal development (Hystad, Eid, Laberg, Johnsen, & Bartone, 2009). Two studies have been performed by Lifton and colleagues. These studies assessed the personality hardiness of individuals throughout the college years. These studies had newly arriving college students complete hardiness measures and found a positive interrelationship between persistence and the student’s graduation date four years later. The hardiness scores among those who did not complete four years of college were lower than those who did not drop out. The scores on the hardiness exams were not directly related to scores on entrance exams or high academic ability. Personality hardiness is not based on a person’s academic ability but rather a person’s attitude or the manner in which he or she approaches life’s challenges (Hystad et al. , 2009). Though the information contained in the numerous studies that have been done regarding stress and the college student’s ability to achieve a decent GPA is helpful to understanding stress and how it affects different people there are always exceptions to every rule. Although it is true that every person handles stressful situations in his or her own unique way there are many resources available to help a college student achieve passing grades regardless of the stress factor. At the same time, there are many choices a college student makes that adds to the amount of stress he or she carries in everyday life. Many times when a college student is sleep deprived it is that he or she has made the choice to be sleep deprived. Staying up all night partying is common among college students as going off to college may be the first time the student has had the opportunity to do so and many consider it to be a bonding experience or a way to make friends in a new place. Grabbing a less than stellar meal from the nearest fast food joint or having a pizza delivered is oftentimes a choice that a student makes rather than a necessity. Eating a meal like this is easier than shopping for a meal, cooking a meal, and cleaning up after a meal. Eating on the run may also be what â€Å"all of the other kids are doing† and again it is a way to fit in. Whereas it is true that some students must maintain employment while attending school this may not have to be the stressor that it often is. Time management skills can come in handy when trying to juggle work and school. Taking time to relax is one of the most important and effective ways of reducing stress. This can; however, oftentimes be misconstrued and taken out of context. One of the worst, and most common, pastimes college students use to relax is drinking alcoholic beverages. Binge drinking can be very detrimental to schoolwork as this can do away with a person’s judgment skills, time management skills, and a person’s healthy well-being. Research shows that binge drinking affects approximately 50% of college students (Stunn, n. d. ). Binge drinking can lead to missing classes because the student may be to hung-over to attend or if the student does manage to attend the mind and body may not be functioning at full capacity and may lead to an inability to concentrate and retain information. When this kind of drinking is done night after night it can lead to many absences or missed assignments, which can compound a student’s stress level by having to make up the work or complete the work in a shorter time with little to no instruction This information would be recommended to others in the class because as students stress will be an important factor during not only college years but also in future years as well. It is important that as an individual a person has coping mechanisms to deal with stress to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Research done on the topic of how stress can negatively affect a student’s GPA is important in learning how to better deal with the stressors in one’s life to overcome barriers and achieve the goals he or she has set. Enrolling in college is a big step in which nobody intentionally sets up to fail. Whereas there are many changes that a college student must adapt to there are an equal number of services both on campus and off that will help a student overcome the barriers to effective learning and to become a better student despite the changes in life. Learning ways to manage time, learning to make choices that will facilitate not only a healthy relationship with peers but also a healthy lifestyle, and learning to cope with the sometimes daily changes in life is part of growing up and moving into the adult world.

Brain Cancer

When thinking about brain tumor, what do you think? I remember millions of people being killed each year. It is difficult to imagine that someone you love will die because of it, but that will happen. Brain tumor is a malignant tumor that leads to death. There are some which can be deleted and others which can not be deleted. Therefore, over the past few decades, they have tried to be friendly to people. It's going well, but it's not always the case. People suffer from cancer, sometimes they can not control it, people may die. Brain tumors are truly deadly, killing millions of people each year. Brain tumors - Brain tumors can be roughly divided into two types. Primary brain tumor occurs in the brain. Metastatic brain tumor begins at the rest of the body and moves to the brain. According to the American Brain Oncology Association, brain tumor is the most common solid tumor in children, the second most common malignancy in children. Brain tumors are the second leading cause of cancer-r elated deaths in men under the age of 40 and are the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in women under the age of 20. There are various kinds of brain tumors. Some brain tumors are noncancerous (benign), and some brain tumors are cancerous (malignant). Brain tumors may arise from your brain (primary brain tumor), or cancer may originate from other parts of your body and spread to your brain (secondary or metastatic, brain tumors). Acoustic schwannoma (neuroma) is a well-balanced auditory nerve, a benign tumor that progresses from the inner ear to the brain. These nerves intertwine to form the vestibular cochlear nerve (the eighth cranial nerve). Stress from the tumor to the nerve may lead to hearing loss and imbalance Benign brain tumor is non-cancer. Malignant primary brain tumor occurs in the brain, usually grows faster than a benign tumor, invasively invades the surrounding tissue. Brain tumors rarely spread to other organs, but they can spread to other parts of the br ain and the central nervous system. Benign brain tumors usually have clear boundaries and usually do not enter deep into the brain tissue. Assuming that it is located in an area of ​​the brain that can be operated safely, this will facilitate removal by surgery. However, even after they are removed, benign tumors are less likely to recur than malignant tumors, but they may still recur.